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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45436	A paraphrase and annotations upon all the books of the New Testament briefly explaining all the difficult places thereof / by H. Hammond.	Hammond, Henry, 1605-1660.	1659 (1659)	Wing H573B; ESTC R28692	3,063,581	1,056

sowre dow that diffuseth it self to the whole lump of bread with which 't is mix'd as their disposition doth to all their sect 7. And they reasoned among themselves saying It is because we have taken no bread Paraphrase 7. And they understood not his meaning but from the mention of leaven grosly conceited that the occasion of his speech was because they had forgotten to bring bread along with them 8. Which when Jesus perceived he said unto them O ye of little faith why reason ye among your selves because ye have brought no bread Paraphrase 8. What a piece of infidelity is this thus to apply my speech to the want of bread 9. Doe ye not yet understand neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets ye took up Paraphrase 9. Will you never lay to heart or consider Have you so soon forgot how easily I am able to releive your want of bread Ye have had two competent evidences of this very lately afforded you five thousand men fed with five loaves and yet twelve baskets of fragments to spare after they were satisfied 10. Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand and 〈◊〉 many note b baskets ye took up Paraphrase 10. And so four thousand fed with seven loaves and seven baskets of fragments remaining 11. How is it that you doe not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees Paraphrase 11. How then could ye be guilty of so grosse an infidelity as to think me still unable to provide necessaries for my self and you and consequently to speak of bread when I bid you 12. Then understood they how that he bad them not beware of the leave● of bread but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees Paraphrase 12. Then they understood their mistake how that he had not spoken of bread or leaven literally but that he foretold them what kind of people all the Pharisees and Sadducees were and all that were leavened or taught or received infusions from them viz. that all the whole tribe of them were a sort of hypocrites Luke 12. 1. who pretended much piety and love of the truth and so enquired after signes from heaven v. 1. but were indeed most perversly and maliciously bent against Christ and his doctrine and would prove the most virulent persecutors both of him and them c. 10. 17. 13. When Jesus came into the coasts of note c Cesarea Philippi he asked his disciples saying Whom do men say that I note d the son of man am Paraphrase 13. And being on his way Mar. 8. 27. to Cesarea Philippi he asked his Disciples What opinion have the multitude Lu. 9. 18. of me doe they take me for an ordinary man or a Prophet or what else 14. And they said Some say that thou art John the Baptist some Elias and others Jeremias or one of the prophets Paraphrase 14. Some old Prophet of the old Testament either risen from the dead as 't is clear they expected Elias should come again or else that the soul of one of them was by way of transmigration which the Pharisees had borrowed from the Pythagoreans come into his body See note on Joh. 9. a. 15. He saith unto them But whom say ye that I am 16. And Simon Peter answered and said Thou art the Christ the son of the living God Paraphrase 16. To this question Simon Peter particularly rendred an answer Thou art the Messias even the 17. And Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jonah for note e flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my father which is in heaven Paraphrase 17. This faith of thine is not built upon humane testimony but upon the miracles and doctrines which thou hast heard and seen which are the testimonies of God himself whereby he hath testified of me to thee and such as thou art Mat. 11. 25. See note on c. 15. d. 18. And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this note f rock I will build my church and the gates of note g hell shall not prevail against it Paraphrase 18. And seeing thou hast so freely confest me before men I will also confesse thee Thou art c. that is The name by which thou art stiled and known by me is that which signifies a stone or rock and such shalt thou be in the building of the Church which accordingly shall be so built on thee founded in thee that the power of death or the grave shall not get victory over it the Christian Church now to be planted shall never be destroyed 19. And I will give unto thee the note h keyes of the kingdome of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Paraphrase 19. And I will give thee as afterwards to all the twelve c. 18. 18. and more distinctly Joh. 20. 23. the keyes of the gate of this court or kingdome the Church of which every one of you is to be the steward as the keyes of the court were given to Eliakim Isa 22. 22. in token of his being steward of the house to admit and exclude whom he pleased that is both power and ensigne of power Apoc. 3. 7. to exercise censures and by them to exclude men in case of their impenitence either by laying some restraints on them in the Church or to turn them out of the gates of this city and upon repentance to receive them into the Church again And what you doe here as you ought to doe shall be valid in heaven 20. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ 21. From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples how that he must goe unto Hierusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day Paraphrase 20 21. The disciples knowing that he was the Messias and having told him so v. 16. he commands that this be not publickly disclosed till after his resurrection at which time in his wisdome he thought it most seasonable telling them that it was necessary that Christ should be put to death by the instance of the Jewish Sanhedrim See note on chap. 8. b. 22. Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him saying note i Be it farre from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee Paraphrase 22. God forbid or avert this from thee or as the Syriack reads be propitious to thy self Lord. 23. But he turned and said to Peter Get thee behind me note k Satan thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God but those that be of men Paraphrase 23. a snare or stumbling block moving me to that which were a sin if I should yeild to it

with the robe of Shebna which was over the houshold v. 15. and strengthen him with his girdle and commit his government into his hand and lay the key of the house of David upon his shoulder and he shall open and none shall shut and shut and none shall open By which is noted the bestowing on him the power of administring and ruling the whole family or house of the King so as to entertain and admit into it and in like manner to exclude out of it whom he would And accordingly this being by Christ accommodated to the Church notes the power of Governing in it This primarily and independently belongs to Christ the holy and true which hath the key of David Apoc. 3. 7. where a difference must be observed betwixt the Key of David and the Keyes of the house of David Keyes are an ensigne of power but that power is not all of one kind it is greater or lesse principal and independent or inferior and derivative and the several Keyes are emblemes of these severals David we know was a King and independent from any on earth and consequently the Key of David notes an independent supreme power and that applied to the Church belongs onely to Christ in that prophetick expression Apoc. 3. 7. But the Keyes of the house of David notes an inferior power that of a steward in Davids familie which being perfectly subordinate to him hath yet the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the administration of the affaires of his familie intrusted to him Now Christ is the Original and prime fountain of all power over the whole Church that spiritual kingdom of David as to whom was given by the Father all power in heaven and earth particularly that of loosing or remitting sin on earth Mat. 9. 6. And this is by Christ here communicated to his Apostles and their Successors the Bishops in the Church as so many several Stewards Hence is that of S. Chrysoft 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 3. That the Bishops are those faithfull servants in the parable whom the Lord sets over his houshold that is literally Stewards And so this agrees perfectly with the promise of Christ c. 19. of the Apostles sitting on twelve thrones where the power of judging and governing in the Church set answerable to that of the Phylarchae or chief of the tribes which was among the Jewes next unto the Regall is directly that of the oeconomus or ruler of the Kings houshold which is here as in Isaiah noted by the keyes And this power being here promised by Christ to be conferr'd on Peter a single person so that whatever he bound or loosed was bound and loosed by Christs affirmation is by force of the words c. 18. 18. before the keyes were given whatsoever ye shall bind and ye shall loose and by the form of conferring it actually Joh. 20. 23. he breathed on them and saith unto them Receive the holy Ghost whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted c. actually and equally instated on every of the Apostles and accordingly the fiery tongues descended and sat upon every one of them And so when Cephas in respect of this authority is styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a stone on which as on a foundation-stone built on Christ the head of the corner this holy city that comes down from heaven the new Jerusalem the Church of Christ is built 't is also apparent that all and every the Apostles have the same title bestow'd upon them Revel 21. 14. where the wall of the city hath twelve foundations and upon them twelve names of the twelve Apostles of which every one in respect of this power and dignity in the Church is particularly compared to a pretious stone v. 18. And when the wall of that city the Church exactly meted is found to be 144 cubits that is twelve times twelve 't is cleer that an equall portion or province is assigned to each of them To which purpose is that of Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it were said to Peter alone I will give unto thee the keyes yet they were given to all the Apostles And Cyprian Ep. 27. Dominus noster Episcopi honorem Ecclesiae suae rationem disponens in Evangelio loquitur dicit Petro Ego tibi dico quia tu es Petrus tibi dabo claves quae ligaveris c Inde per temporum successionum vices Episcoporum ordinatio Ecclesiae ratio decurrit ut Ecclesia super Episcopos constituatur omnis actus Ecclesiae per eosdem gubernetur Our Lord Christ providing for the honour of the Bishop and the disposition of his Church speaks in the Gospel and saith to Peter I say unto thee that thou art Peter and I will give thee the keyes and what thou shalt bind c. From thence by vicissitudes of times and successions the ordination of Bishops and the disposition of the Church doth flow so that the Church is built on Bishops and every act of the Church is govern'd by them And before him Irenaeus l. 5. c. 20. the Apostles delivered the Churches to the Bishops And many the like testimonies So Tertullian de Praescr c. 32. Sicut Smyrnaeorum Ecclesia Polycarpum à Johanne collocatum refert utique caeterae exhibent quos ab Apostolis in Episcopatū constitutos Apostolici seminis traduces habent As the Church of Smyrna had Polycarp placed Bishop there by John so the other Churches are able to shew those whom they have constituted Bishops by the Apostles the children as it were of the Apostles who are propagated by them So S. Athanasius of the office of Bishop that it is one of the things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Christ hath formed by the Apostles in his Ep. to Dracontius And S. Basil the Great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Episcopacy is the Apostolicall precedence or authority over others And S. Ambrose Claves regni coelorum in Beato Petro cuncti suscepimus sacerdotes All Bishops that is the notation of Sacerdotes there such as he then was received in S. Peter the keyes of the kingdome of heaven de dign sacerd c. 6. And Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that according or answerably to Peter are vouchsafed the honour or grace of Episcopacy have power to bind and loose And generally all the ancient Writers to this purpose even S. Jerome himself in Psal 45. Quia Apostoli à mundo recesserunt habes pro illis Episcopos filios because the Apostles have departed from the world ye have their sons the Bishops instead of them V. 22. Be it far This form of speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is borrowed from the Hebrewes who use it to expresse the Latine absit that is amoliri malum aliquod to signifie our desire that such a thing may not come to passe So in the Hierusalem-Targum on Gen. 49. 22. Parce tibi Josephe ut nè conjicias oculos that is God forbid thou shouldest cast thine eyes and on Num.

thus it is with God he is very unwilling that any the meanest person upon earth should be lost that might with any care or methods of ours be recovered to piety 15. Moreover If thy brother shall trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee ●hou hast gained thy brother Paraphrase 15. To this purpose these directions I shall now give which I require to be used in the Church for ever If any fellow Christian of thine doe thee any injury and by so doing offend against God thy charity to him as it must be sure to put off all thoughts of revenge against him to forgive him freely v. 22. so will it oblige thee to use all prudent methods to reduce him to a sense and reformation of his fault and by the same reason this is to be extended to all other wilfull crimes of which thou seest him guilty those being as fit to exercise this part of thy charity towards his soul as any injury done to thee immediately and let this be the method first go and admonish him of it privately so that it have nothing of shame or reproach joyned with it and if he mend upon such admonition there 's an end thou hast reason to rejoyce as at the finding the stray sheep that thou hast been so happy an instrument of his repentance 16. But if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established Paraphrase 16. But if this first method of thy charity succeed not another essay must be made take with thee one or two other men either that the crime which thou layest to his charge be so confirm'd to him by sufficient testimony Joh. 8. 17. that he be no longer able to deny it as that which cannot be contradicted or denyed is said to be established Heb. 6. 16. or that the authority of these added to that of thy private admonition may be of more force with him induce him to condemn himself at least be more likely to doe so be more weighty in the presence of two or three 17. And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the Church but if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a Publican Paraphrase 17. But if he be still refractary either through non-conviction of the fact or non-contrition for it if this second admonition work not on him then make it a matter of publick cognizance tell it to the rulers of the assemblies saith S. Chrysostome see Power of Keys c. 2. § 12. or tell it in the presence of all the people that before them the Governour may rebuke him as Timothy is appointed to doe 1 Tim. 5. 20. But if this last method succeed not neither if he be still refractary thou art then to look on him as a desperate deplored sinner see Power of Keys c. 2. § 9. fit for the censures of the Church to overtake him 18. Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Paraphrase 18. Which ye therefore to whom now I speak the designed rulers of the Church and your successors the Bishops are in this case to proceed to to use the Keys given to you as Stewards of the house c. 16. 19. for the ejecting of such And I assure you whomsoever see note on c. 11. k. ye shall thus cast out of the Church on earth shall without repentance and submission to your censures and reformation upon them and sincere desire to reconcile and approve themselves to you be by me excluded from steaven These censures of yours inflicted by this commission from me shall be back'd by me And so whomsoever ye shall upon sincere repentance receive into the peace of the Church again he shall by me be pardoned also 19. Again I say unto you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing note b that they shall ask it shall be done for them of my father which is in heaven Paraphrase 19. As for the second of the three admonitions spoken of v. 16. see note on c. 7. b. this I assure you that as the assize of three men among the Jews had some power so shall any two or three Christians joyning in such a reprehension be considerable in this matter having the priviledge of Gods presence as in their prayers thus united so in their united admonitions to give them authority assistance and blessing 20. For where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Paraphrase 20. For where two or three are met or assembled for this piece of discipline as for any holy action besides there am I present with them in a special manner and will not suffer the actions which thus they undertake by my appointment to be set at nought by any 21. Then came Peter to him and said Lord how oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him till seven times Paraphrase 21. When Christ had gone thus farre by way of returne from the last to the second and before he proceeded from that to the first Peter interposed this question the answer to whcih comes home to the first of the three also Sir seeing I am bound to forbear my brother or fellow Christian that injureth me and not to act any revenge upon him as we were taught by thee Mat. 5. 39. and seeing now upon admonishing him that hath injured me in case he repent either on the first or second or third admonition I am to proceed no farther against him but forgive him and rejoyce that I have done so much good upon him v. 15. yet because he that hath thus trespassed and repented once may possibly trespasse again and repent again see Luke 17. 3 4. I desire to be taught by thee how oft I am to do this to forgive him that though he repent of his injury aske forgivenesse and promise to doe so no more see v. 26. 29. yet oft times relapses again How oft must I be thus indulgent to him and forgive him upon his request must I doe it often or seven times 22. Jesus saith unto him I say not unto thee untill seven times but untill seventy times seven Paraphrase 22. This rule is to hold eternally not only for a great but an unlimited number of trespasses supposing that the trespasser repent and promise amendment for the future Lu. 17. 4. ootherwise thou art not so bound to passe by his trespasse but that thou maist by the means prescribed v. 15. c. endeavour his reformation for in that case that is the greatest charity he is capable of 23. Therefore is the kingdome of heaven like unto a certain King which would take account of his note c servants Paraphrase 23. To

submit themselves to it and be glad to be members of the Church and doe their best to support it and endow it with the riches of this world 25. And the gates of it shall not be shut not be shut at all by day for there shall be no night there Paraphrase 25. And there shall be a most ready hospitable reception at all times for all that will come in to the faith by amendment of life 26. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it Paraphrase 26. And the Gentiles of other parts that are not subject to the Roman Empire shall come in to the Church and contribute their best to the flourishing of it by endowing of the Church which is ordinarily meant by honour see Col. 2. note i. 27. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination and maketh a lie but they which are written in the Lambs book of life Paraphrase 27. And this shall generally be done by all that have any resolution of living purely and godly and only they shall be kept out which are immers'd in all filthiness and abominable unnatural vicious practices and in all kind of unjust dealings for such cannot by the laws of baptisme be received and such will not desire to undergoe Christ's discipline Annotations on Chap. XXI V. 1. New heaven and new earth That heaven and earth signifie no more then the world hath been shewed in Note on 2 Pet. 3. b. and consequently a new heaven and a new earth in stead of the old which is put away must signifie no more than a new world And this in the prophetick style is most proper to denote a flourishing state and condition of the Church as there in S. Peter the new heaven and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse is a pure Christian Church planted by Christ in stead of the old Judaical mode but this here with some difference noting the flourishing condition of it in opposition to the former persecutions it was under the change consisting in that And this from Isai 65. 17. where creating new heavens and new earth is sending the Jewes a joyfull deliverance and that a very permanent one ch 66. 22. To which is appliable that of the Jewes who say that whensoever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the new song is mention'd 't is meant of the future age that of the Messias so R. Solomon on Psal 96. 1. and R. Gaon renders the reason because there shall be a new heaven and a new earth V. 2. New Jerusalem The true meaning of the new Jerusalem mention'd here ver 2. and again with the addition of holy and the glory of God upon it ver 11. will be a key to the interpreting this chapter That it signifies not the state of glorified Saints in heaven appears by its descending from heaven in both places and that according to the use of that phrase ch 10. 1. 18. 1. as an expression of some eminent benefit and blessing in the Church and so it must needs be here on earth and being here set down with the glory of God upon it it will signifie the pure Christian Church joyning Christian practice with the profession thereof and that in a flourishing condition express'd by the new heaven and new earth see Note a. In this sense we have the supernal Jerusalem Gal. 4. 26. the new Jerusalem Rev. 3. 12. where to the constant professor is promised that God will write upon him the name of God and the name of the city of God the new Jerusalem which there signifies the pure Catholick Christian Church To which purpose it is observable that Eusebius in the setting forth the flourishing of the Christian Church in Constantine's time particularly the building of a magnificent Temple to Christ at the place of his sepulture in Jerusalem saith of it that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I should think it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the new Jerusalem concerning which the holy Scriptures prophesying by divine Spirit doe sing many things l. 3. De vit Const c. 32. Where there is little doubt but this book and place of this prophetick Revelation is referred to by him wherein this new Jerusalem is so magnificently set out And though his application of it to the building of that Temple at Jerusalem both there and before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be somewhat too much restrain'd yet the time of Constantine is perfectly agreeable to the notion which we have given of it and the flourishing condition of Christianity not only at Jerusalem of which the building that Temple was an instance but over the whole habitable world the full importance of it is not any way excluded by this stricter accommodation of his but is rather evidenced by these passages to have been the interpretation affix'd to this prophecie in those times wherein he wrote The only difficulty remaining will be whether this Vision being here placed after that other of chap. 20. concerning the thousand years and the Turks invasions of the Church it be here set to signifie any new change after that founded in the destruction of the Mahometans ch 20. 9 10. or whether it may not more probable be a repetition of the same thing more largely which is there set down ch 20. 4 6. And this latter may safely be pitch'd upon notwithstanding the placing of it after For that which hath been observed of Joseph concerning the King's dreams Gen. 41. 32. that the two dreams being to one purpose v. 25. 't was doubled to shew 't was established by God so it hath been ordinary with the Prophets in the Old Testament and oft exemplified here that two Visions should belong to the same matter And this here very pertinent to the one designe of all these Visions to fortifie the seven Churches of Asia by foretelling largely the flourishing condition to which God should at last advance the Christian Church which being but briefly pointed at in the former chapter and that with a mixture of the contrary and only the space of it for the thousand years particularly and punctually insisted on 't was here fit to be more largely and rhetorically set down being a thing of so great importance That this is the meaning of the new Jerusalem may further appear by an eminent monument in the prophecie of old Tobit before his death ch 14. 6 7. where the third great period prophesied of by him is express'd by the building up Jerusalem gloriously of the former see Note on Mat. 24. c. and the Praemon the beginning of which is the conversion of the Gentile world and their burying their idols ver 6. which was the summe of these former Visions ch 18. and then follows all nations praising the Lord all people confessing God and the Lord 's exalting his people and all those that love the Lord our God in truth and justice shall rejoice

this perswasion v. 15. Then for the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in ordinary construction all one which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know that I hope or am perswaded or of this I am sure so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ordinarily used that I hope or am perswaded And this is very agreeable to the matter in hand where to comfort them in their sadnesse for his afflictions he minds them that in order to their good he foresees it very probable that he may be permitted to live and though he knows not by any certain revelation whether he shall or no yet this he knows that he hopes and considering Gods dipensations of providence is verily perswaded which also includes his desire of it CHAP. II. 1. IF there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies 2. Fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind Paraphrase 1 2. I therefore conjure you by all those benefies which are afforded us in Christ by the great joy and pleasure there is in loving one another by that liberal effusion of graces from the Spirit of God see note on Act. 2. d. and by your affection and compassion toward men in calamity and particularly toward me at this time a prisoner for Christ that to all the other matter of rejoicing that I have concerning you you will adde this also and so make my joy complete that you live in unity loving one another mutually having as it were the same soul and so affections and designes all studying and taking care for this same thing 3. Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory but in lowlinesse of mind let each esteem other better then themselves Paraphrase 3. That ye doe nothing out of opposition and contention one against another nothing ambitiously or ostentatiously but on the contrary doe all things with that quietnesse and humblenesse as if ye had every one a better opinion of the others wisdome and piety than his own 4. Look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others Paraphrase 4. And to this end let not men look so intently on those gifts and abilities which they discern in themselves but let them withall and much rather consider the gifts and abilities of other men more eminent then they And this will be an expedient toward the performing of that which is required v. 3. 5. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus Paraphrase 5. According to the example of Christ 6. Who being in the note a form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God Paraphrase 6. Who being truly God thought it no incroachment to be in equality with his father 7. But note b made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likenesse of men Paraphrase 7. And yet being thus the eternal word of God he set himself at nought lessened humbled himself from the condition of being Lord of all to that of a subject ordinary man 8. And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the crosse Paraphrase 8. And being by his incarnation thus low in the nature all and the outward deportment and guise of a man he yet humbled himself lower to death even the vilest and most cruel death that in use among the Romans for their slaves crucifixion 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name Paraphrase 9. And for this great act of humility and the divine work of eternal redemption of our soules wrought by him in this state of humiliation God hath advanced his humane nature to the highest degree of glory and made this God-man the supreme prince of his Church given him all power in heaven and earth and to signify that hath appropriated to him the title of Jesus the Saviour by way of excellence that though other men may have been thus styled from other salvations or deliverances for which they have been imployed by God as Joshua long before and after Joshua the Judges were called Saviours for rescuing the people of Israel from dangers and delivering them from enemies yet the eternal salvation Heb. 5. 9. eternal redemption Heb. 9. 12. being wrought only by him the name which signifies this should belong to him and to him onely 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth Paraphrase 10. A title or name which includes in it such a singular dignity above all other titles as concerning mans eternal and not only some temporal deliverance and salvation that it together with the signification of it is worthy of the most eminent and superlative respect the lowyest reverence that can be paid by all rational creatures Angels men and devils Luk. 4. 36. 11. And that every tongue should confesse that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father Paraphrase 11. And his doctrine and faith and soveraignty be received and embraced by all nations of the world to the honour of God the Father who hath thus sent him and thus ordered his humility and exaltation 12. Wherefore my beloved as ye have alwaies obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in my absence work out your own salvation with note c fear and trembling Paraphrase 12. And therefore my dear brethren as ye have hitherto done all that I have commanded you so I still beseech you that now in time of my absence ye will be much more diligent then when I was present with you ye were to perfect the good work which ye have begun viz. a pious Christian course see note on Rom. 10. a. making your performances agreeable to your resolutions and never giving over till ye are landed safe at eternal blisse and to that end using all possible diligence and solicitude and care that ye be not wanting to your selves 13. For it is God which note d worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Paraphrase 13. Upon this very consideration on which some are secure and negligent because both to that good resolution and to every good performance you are enabled by God who doth what he doth of his free undeserved mercy to you by his preventing and assisting grace without any merit of yours to deserve it from him and consequently may justly be expected to withdraw all from them that walk negligently before him 14. Doe all things without murmurings and disputings Paraphrase 14. And let your obedience be cheerfull without any querulousnesse or reluctances without questioning or disputing of commands 15. That ye may be blamelesse and harmlesse the sons of God without rebuke in the

he was the first-born from the dead v. 18. the first which from the grave was raised and exalted to heaven and being so risen all power was given unto him in heaven and in earth V. 16. Thrones These severall titles here rehearsed may possibly be no more but the expressions of severall degrees of dignity among men So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thrones may denote Kings or Monarchs and Princes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dominions or Lordships may be the Reguli the honours whether of Dukes or Earls next under Princes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Praefects of Provinces and cities and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inferior magistrates and if so then may they be here set down to denote all sorts and conditions of men in the Gentile world by the chief dignities among them here on earth But because they may also signifie the several degrees of Angels and because there follows mention of visible and invisible and the Angels may most probably be contained by the latter of them as this lower world of men by the former and because it is the creation that is here referred to and the creating of the Angels as well as men c. belongs truly to Christ as God therefore it will be most reasonable in this place to interpret it in the greater extent to comprehend Angels and men too the highest and most eminent of both sorts thereby to set out the eternal Divinity and power of Christ who is creatour of all and consequently before the most principal Angels which were created before men See v. 17. Of the great blasphemies of the Gnosticks and their followers the Valentinians in this matter of Angels creating the world c. see Irenaeus and Note on 1. Tim. 1. d. And to that Theologie of theirs the Apostle may here referre V. 20. Whether they be things in earth or What is here meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether the things on earth or the things in the heavens wil I conceive be best discerned first by comparing this place of the reconciliation wrought by Christ with the parallel Ephes 2. 14 16. where it clearly signifies the compacting the Jewes and Gentiles into one Church and so again Ephes 1. 10. the gathering in one all things both which are in heaven and on earth doth signifie all men of all sores Secondly by remembring two observations frequent in this Book 1. That it is the manner of the Hebrew writers to expresse this inferiour world for want of one word to signifie it by these two the heavens and the earth and indeed any aggregate body or totum by mentioning and enumerating its parts as the natural day by the evening and the morning and so to set down so many daies and so many nights where the truth of the story will not allow us to interpret it literally of so many nights distinctly but of so many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or natural daies of which any the least part is computed for one See Note on Mat. 12. n. and on Ephes 5. h. And not to multiply examples but to confine the discourse to this particular thus very frequently the heavens and the earth are set to signifie the whole lower world made up of the firmament of the aire that expansum which is called Heaven as when we read the fowls of the heaven and of the terrestrial globe of earth and water see Note on 2 Pet. 3. e. and then consequently to this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things here explained and interpreted by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether the things on earth or the things in heaven and in the like phrase v. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things that are in the heavens and on the earth shall signifie no more then what is in other places expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world as 2. Cor. 5. 19. in the very same matter that here is spoken of God in Christ reconciling the world to himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the creation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole creation or all creatures the whole world of creation or the whole world without restriction Now what is meant by the whole world or the whole creation will appear by another second observation which is taken notice of and enlarged on Note on Rom. 8. d. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 creation and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 world simply and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole creation Rom. 8. 22. and here v. 23. signifies all the Gentile world in opposition to the Jewish enclosure not all the creatures absolutely but all men of all nations particularly the Gentile Idolaters mentioned here in the next verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you that were formerly alienated c. And then the meaning of the place will be clearly this that it pleased God by Christ to reconcile to himself or as it is possible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him may be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into one or the same and so be more perfectly parallel to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both in or into one body Eph. 2. 16. all the men of the world the Gentiles and the Jewes both the same thing which was meant by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11. 15. the reconciling of the world that is the Gentiles in opposition to the Jewes that there in the words immediately precedent are said to be cast off and 2 Cor. 5. 19. by God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself And though the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all thinge be here in the Neuter yet will that be no objection against this it being ordinary for the Neuter to be taken for the Masculine as when Christ is said to have come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to save that which was lost that is all the men that were lost and so Gal. 3. 22. that God hath shut up together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things that is all men under sin and innumerable the like and therefore that which v. 20. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all in the Neuter is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you men you Gentiles v. 21. and that joyned with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath reconciled there as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reconciling here That I doe not conceive the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things in heaven to signifie Angels the reason is clear because Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2. 16. came not to take hold of or reduce or relieve or consequently to reconcile the Angels but onely mankind And indeed the Angels that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the heavens never fell and so needed no reconciling And though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things in heaven may possibly signifie the Saints departed which are now in Heaven in respect of their souls contrary to the Psychopannychists and were so at the Apostles writing this and even at the time of Christs death yet the

bearer of this Epistle as is affirmed in the Subscription it is not certain nor if we will judge by c. 13. 23. probable for there mentioning Timothies being set at liberty it is added with whom if he come shortly I will see you which referres to the Authors intention to bear Timothy company to them which is not well reconcileable with Timothy's carrying this Epistle from him So that in all these circumstances there is very little certainty As for those to whom it is written the Hebrews they are the Jewes Christian which the Author had known in Iudea and Syria which all belonged to Ierusalem as the chief and principal Metropolis who being persecuted by the unbelieving Jewes were by the infusions of the Gnosticks inclined to great caution and complyances and consequently began to forsake the Christian assemblies and to fall off from the profession of the faith which being the occasion of this monitory Epistle the subject of it consequently is to confirm them in the truth of the Gospel against the Jewish pretensions to represent the great danger and sin of falling off and to fortifie them with constancy and perseverance by many examples of faith and patience putting them in mind of the deliverance from their persecutors which should now very shortly befall them c. 10. 37. That this Epistle was written in Hebrew is phansied by some but without any reason the Hebrewes to whom it was written understanding and speaking Greek from whence they are called Hellenists in many places And accordingly the places of the Old Testament which are cited in this Epistle are generally set down in the words of the Septuagints translation which was in use with the Hellenist Jewes and read in their Synagogues CHAP. I. 1. GOD who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets Paraphrase 1. God which used formerly several steps or degrees and likewise several waies and means of revealing to men the things to come delivering them out in portions not all together and that sometimes by visions or by dreams sometimes by the oracle sometimes by the coming of his Spirit upon the prophets and sometimes by voice from heaven 2. Hath in these last daies spoken unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed heir of all things by whom also he made the worlds Paraphrase 2. In this latter age of the world hath sent his Son out of his bosome the eternal Son of God to exercise this office to take our humane nature upon him therein to declare with more authority his Fathers will unto us and as a prophet to foretell his designe of dealing with his Church see c. 2. note b. And to reward his fidelity in this office he hath g●ven him dominion over all things power to command the judge men to rule and govern the Church as it was he also by whom he hath created the heaven and the earth 3. Who being the brightnesse of his glory and the expresse image of his person and note a upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high Paraphrase 3. Who being the means of reflectig to us the sight of him who is otherwise invisible Joh. 1. 18. and having perfect dominion over all and accordingly administring all by his divine power having by his death and resurrection done his part toward the justifying and sancifying us pardoning our sins and reforming our wicked lives he ascended to the right hand of his Father in heaven there to sit as having finished that part of his priestly office which consiste in sacrificing to which they that were separated were appointed to stand before the Lord Deut. 10. 8. and there to reign and as a king to defend his faithfull servants and punish his enemies 4. Being made so much note b better then the Angels as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name then they Paraphrase 4. And so is advanced to a superiority even over the Angels themselves which you may discern by the compellations that are bestowed on him farre higher then any that are bestowed on the Angels 5. For unto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee And again I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a son Paraphrase 5. As that of Son in the second Psalme which though in some sense it belong to David yet is by the Jewes themselves acknowledged in a more sublime sense to belong to the Messias so likewise that 2 Sam. 7. 14. delivered to Solomon as he was a type of the Messias which in some degree true of him was in a much more eminent manner to be understood of Christ 6. And again when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him Paraphrase 6. And again when the Scripture Psal 97. speaks of the Lord that is the Messias his reigning v. 1. and in the process of the Psalme describes his entring on his kingdome that which commenced at his ascending into the superior world the heavens here v. 3. and c. 2. 5. the express words of the Psalmist are v. 7. 7. And of the Angels he saith Who maketh his Angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire Paraphrase 7. Whereas the titles which he gives the Angels are no higher than of winds and flames Psal 104. 4. 8. But unto the Son he saith Thy throne O God is for ever and ever a scepter of righteonsnesse is the scepter of thy kingdome Paraphrase 8. But he gives farre higher titles to the Messias calling him the eternal King and God mentioning his throne and scepter and his great justice in exercising his Regal power in succouring the faithfull and punishing the obdurate and addressing to him in this dialect Psal 45. 62. 9. Thou hast loved righteousnesse and hated iniquity therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oile of gladnesse above thy fellows Paraphrase 9. All thy doctrine and practise thy words and thy example have been designed for the advancing of all kind of vertue and by way of reward for that God hath entertained or treated thee more liberally then any other see note on Mat. 26. c. and on Act. 10. c. preferred and dignified thee before all Angels and men 10. And Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the works of thine hands Paraphrase 10. Another place Psal 102. 25. applies that which is said of God Gen. 1. 1. about the creation of the world to the Messias calling him Lord and Creatour of heaven and earth which is a proof of what is added in the end of v. 2. and adding 11. They shall perish but thou remainest and they all shall wax old as doth a garment 12. And as

it is manifest that Christ who is now our Priest and installed to it after his resurrection was not made a Priest by any law that provides for the mortality of Priests and so appoints them in a succession as the Aaronical Priesthood was but by that Spirit that powerfully raised him from the dead never to dye again and so to be a Priest for ever † indissoluble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 According as the Psalmist testifieth Thou art a Priest for ever c. And indeed that this Mosaical Law should be evacuated there was reason because it was so unable and uneffectual to doe that which was designed viz. the expiating of or cleansing from sin For the Mosaical Law got no man any freedome from sin was able to give no man strength to fulfil the will of God and could not purchase pardon for any that had broken it This therefore was to be done now afterwards by the Gospel which gives more sublime and plain promises of pardon of sin which the Law could not promise of an eternal and heavenly life to all true penitent believers which gracious tender now made by Christ give us a freedome of accesse to God and confidence to come and expect such mercies from him to lift up pure hands c. 1 Tim. 2. 8. and in all reason we art to make that use of it and not to fall off from Christ to Mosaical observances † superinducing of better 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * or let us for the King's MS. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Levitical priests are a number of men succeeding one another by whom provision is made for the mortality of the men which otherwise will bring it to an end But Christ being now no longer mortal hath no successor in his Priesthood his Priesthood passes not from him to any other * a priesthood that passeth not away By all which evidences it appears to our present comfort that he living for ever can intercede for ever for us bestow on us whatever we stand in need of and so from time to time relieve and succour against all temptations those that are true sincere Christians that serve Christ with all their hearts that adhere constantly to him † perpetuity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this was a sort of high priests that we sinfull weak creatures had need of one that being mercifully disposed is also uncapable of suffering any hurt of being defiled or corrupted or consequently of dying v. 25. and to that end is advanced to a pitch above our sinfull corruptible condition here * free from evil undesileable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who hath no necessity oftentimes as upon the great day of expiation once a year see ch 10. 11. to offer sacrifice first for his own then for the peoples sins as the high priest did under the Law All that was necessary for him to doe in proportion to those offerings of the Levitical priest was performed by him at once by his death upon the crosse by which he both offered for himself that is made expiation as it were not to deliver himself from sin for he was never guilty of any but from the infirmities assumed by him but especially from death it self and so is now never likely to die and determine his Melchisedek-priesthood and for others also offered one sacrifice for the sins of the whole world which will serve the turn without ever repeating it again † upon a day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the Levitical Law makes such men priests and none else which are subject to mortality but the oath of God Psal 110. concerning the immutable priesthood makes Christ the chief priest whose life and so whose priesthood was never to determine whose offering for himself that is for the putting off his infirm mortal body was complete at that once and needed never to be offered again by him any more then the same offering of his as it was for the sins of the world See ch 10. 11 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 2. Sacr. legis Alleg. p. 106. Antiq. l. 1 c. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One that ministers and officiates in his Church that hath the ordering of the true not typical figurative Temple and Tabernacle that which is not built by humane workmen but by God all power being given unto him in Heaven and in Earth having dominion instated on him over his Church to deliver them and over his enemies to destroy them * ●●th built 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Minister I say for so every Priest is his business being peculiarly to sacrifice and offer burnt-offerings and sin-offerings c. c. 5. 1. and agreeably Christ was to have some sacrifice to offer to God as a Priest and that was himself presenting himself in Heaven the true Sanctuary after the slaying him upon the crosse c. 9. 12. And for his being a minister not on Earth only but now more especially in Heaven and there exercising his Priesthood 't is clear because here on Earth there be store of Priests which officiate according to the prescription of the Mosaical Law viz. those that offer the Levitical sacrifices and so there is no need that Christ should take that office upon him if it were to be exercised only here because that legally belongs to others † should not have been 〈◊〉 * those being Priests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 † ●ait upon the in age 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * enacted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 † he saith to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which appears by this because when he speaks in the Prophet Jeremy c. 31. 31. of making a new Covenant he doth it by way of complaint or finding fault with the weaknesse and imperfection of the former see c. 7. 18. after this manner or form of speech The Covenant which I will now make is not after the rate of the Covenant which I made with the Israelites by Moses a Covenant made up of external carnal commandments when I brought them out of Aegypt for that was not effectual to them was not able to attract them to obedience or perseverance but they fell off from me and consequently I forsooke them saith the Lord. * for in † on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * or citizen for the King 's M● reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That first covenant indeed had ceremonial lawes peculiar waies of worshipping God and a tabernacle And first for the latter of them see Mat. 7. note b. the Tabernacle that was a type of the whole world of earth and heaven this

the Prophets in the Old Testament and not seldome used in the Writers of the New So Mat. 12. 22. the blind and the dumb both spake and saw that is the blind saw and the dumb spake and c. 18. Christ having mention'd the three degrees of Admonition by one alone by two or three and by the Rulers in the presence of the assembly v. 15 16 17. he then resumes to speak somewhat farther of each of these and begins first with the last what in case of such refractarinesse the Rulers of the Church are to doe Verily I say unto you Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth c. v. 18. And then v. 19. in reference to the second thing mention'd the admonition in the presence of one or two v. 16. Again Verily I say unto you that if two of you shall agree upon the earth c. it shall be done unto them of my Father From which before he proceeds back again in the first place to the first of the private admonition Peter asks a question which introduces the discourse which was proper to have been deliver'd on that subject So c. 23. 16. Christ having mention'd swearing by the Temple first and then by the Altar v. 18. he after refuming them both again v. 20. begins first with that of the Altar and then that of the Temple after it So in that c. 23. 25. having mention'd first the outside of the cup and platter and then the inside v. 26. he returns first to the cleansing of the inside then the outside of it So Rom. 212. S. Paul having affirm'd two things the first of the Gentiles that had not the Law that they should perish without it the second of the Jews that had the Law that they should be judged by it he v. 13. speaks first of the second for the hearers of the Law c. and then v. 14. of the first For when the Nations c. So Rom. 14. having set down two heads of discourse that the strong should not set at nought the weak Nor secondly the weak judge or condemn the strong v. 3. he resumes the latter first v. 4. who art thou that judgest and then v. 10. returns to the former and thou why dost thou set at nought thy brother So 1 Cor. 6. 11. After the general of washing which contains the two subsequent sanctifying and justifying the mention of our Lord Jesus Christ which is first named belongs to the latter that of Justification and the Spirit of our God to the former that of Sanctifying So 2 Cor. 2. 15. Having mention'd the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 first them that are saved and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them that perish he goes back v. 16. first to the latter to those a savour of death unto death then to the former to those a savour of life unto life So Philem. 5. hearing of thy love and faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus and toward all Saints 't is apparent that the Saints are the object of the Love and the Lord Jesus of the Faith So Heb. 5. where in the four first verses there are three things propounded of an high-Priest 1. that he offer for sin 2. be compassionate to sinners and to that end be himself infirm and offer for himself as well as the people 3. that he be called to this office by God himself To these three all applied to Christ the Apostle speaks particularly and to the last first So likewise Christ glorified not himself to be an high-Priest c. v. 5. 6. Then to the second v. 7 8. who in the daies of his flesh offer'd up prayers c. and then to the first last v. 9. being made perfect he became the author of eternal salvation c. So Heb. 9. 1. having named two things the ordinances of worship and the worldly sanctuary he dilates first on the last of them v. 2 3 4 5. For there was a tabernacle made c. and then after comes back to the former v. 6. Now when these things were thus ordain'd the Priest went alwayes c. So Heb. 10. 33. having mention'd two acts of suffering in them the first personal in themselves by reproaches and afflictions the second by way of sympathy with the Apostles in the next verse he resumes both but first the latter for ye had compassion on me in my bands and then the former took joyfully the spoiling of your goods So 2 Pet. 3. where the Atheists objection consists of two parts 1. that God hath not made good his promise concerning his coming v. 4. 2 ly as a proof of that that there had been no sensible mutation since the beginning of the world in the latter part of the verse The Apostle makes answer first to the latter v. 5 6 7. and then comes back and satisfies the former also v. 8. c. And to instance no more two examples of this there are most clearly here in this place The first in the sixt and seventh verses for having mention'd two things v. 5. pulling out the beam in thine own eye that is reforming a mans own sins secondly casting out the mote out of thy brothers eye that is reprehending faults in other men he speaks first to the latter of these the matter of reprehension v. 6. and then v. 7. returns to the former the means that must be used for the reforming our selves prayer for grace which shall so surely bring it The second here in the sixt verse where having mention'd the Dogs and the Swine he first speaks of the Swine and after of the Dogs for certainly the treading belongs to the Swine and the rending to the Dogs for the Swine doe not use to turn and rend but the Dogs doe and therefore Munster's Hebrew reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Dogs returning c. and Dogs doe not tread under their feet what is cast to them as Swine doe These are both proverbially spoken to expresse how sure good charitable reprehensions are to be cast away upon incorrigible sinners according to that of the Satyrist vitia ultima fictos Contemnunt Scauros castigata remordent Enormous vices if they be chastised or reprehended will contemn and bite again V. 9. Will he give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here no more then will he give The Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being oft all one with the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nunquid as in the Gemara 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nunquid scriptum est is it written V. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here and in some other places hath a peculiar notion neerer an Expletive then a Causall and is best rendred by the Latine scilicet the English Thus or the like as a form only of introducing the speech that comes after He shall say unto them what shall he say Why or thus he shall say I know you not c. So c. 10. 7. and so c. 26. 72. He denied with an oath

have eternall life Paraphrase 16. what is the condition required of me to make me capable of Eternall blisse 17. And he saith unto him Why callest thou me good there is none good but one that is God but if thou wilt enter into life keep the commandements Paraphrase 17. thy calling me good without conceiving me to be God is not right But for thy question of the way to eternall blisse this is soon answered 't is by obedience to Gods commandements 18. He saith unto him Which Jesus said Thou shalt doe no murther Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not steal Thou shalt not bear false witnesse Paraphrase 18. Jesus said those great precepts given by God to Moses containing the heads of all duties both toward God and man particularly those six of the second sort containing the duty toward man 19. Honour thy Father and thy mother and Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Paraphrase 19. Thou shalt not design advantage to thy self by another mans losse or desire any thing that is his but consider his good as well as thine own which is the summe of the last commandement 20. The young man saith All these things have I kept from my youth up What lack I yet Paraphrase 20. All these parts of duty I have sincerely observed all my life what more is required of me 21. Jesus said unto him If thou wit be note b perfect go and fell that thou hast and give to the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come and follow me Paraphrase 21. If thou wilt ascend to that higher pitch to which I come to raise men if thou wilt be a Christian then must thou upon contemplation of the reward that is laid up in heaven for all that sincerely obey me be contented to part with all the wealth of the world whensoever that is required of thee either directly as now I command thee to sell and give to the poor all that thou hast and so to follow me as all my disciples have done though they had not so much to part with as thou hast or by consequence when thou canst not obey any particular precept without danger of being undone by it 22. But when the young man heard that saying he went away sorrowfull for he had great possessions Paraphrase 22. When the young man heard Christ say this he was much greived because he had a very great estate and therefore seeing he could not be a Christian at any cheaper rate he forsook or departed from Christ would not pay so dear for that perfection 23. Then said Jesus to his disciples Verily I say unto you that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdome of heaven Paraphrase 23. It is very difficult for a wealthy man to undertake that condition required of all by me that will be Christians and come to blisse now under the Gospel 24. And again I say unto you It is easier for a note c camel to goe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of God Paraphrase 24. The rich man setteth his heart upon his riches and trusting in them Mar. 10. 24. must part with as much of his humour before he can be capable of being a Christian of performing the condition by me required to attain blisse as that beast Camel or Elephant c. which is of the greatest bulk must part with to be qualified to passe through the straightest place 25. When his disciples heard it they were exceedingly amazed saying Who then can be saved Paraphrase 25. If the way prescribed by thee to blisse be as straight as a needles eye who then can undertake it who can come to blisse upon such termes as these who is there that according to this rule is qualified for salvation 26. But Jesus beheld them and said unto them With men this is impossible but with God all things are possible Paraphrase 26. look'd upon them as exāples of the practicablenesse of this doctrine of forsaking parting with all to follow him and tells them to encourage them that it seems those things which are in themselves so hard and so unreasonable for meer men to doe are yet very possible for God and so this of contemning the world working such a change on a worldly mans heart that he shall liberally bestow his wealth and not place any confidence in it is a work that God doth ordinarily work in mens hearts and enables them to doe with ease 27. Then answered Peter and said unto him Behold we have forsaken all and followed thee what shall we have therefore 28. And Jesus said unto them Verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the note d regeneration when the son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel Paraphrase 28. ye that are now my disciples and have by receiving the faith and baptisme left all to follow me shall assoon as I come to my kingdome be highly honoured and rewarded by me or You that have received me and followed me and persevered constant to me continued with me in my temptation Lu. 22. 28. shall in the new age or state taking its beginning from the resurrection and ascension of Christ have a power in the Church instated on you as my successors somewhat proportionable to that of the severall Rulers of the Tribes among the Jewes a token of which are the keyes after given to them and promised as here c. 16. 19. The power which my father hath given me on earth shall at my departure be instated upon you Lu. 22. 29. 29. And every one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my names sake shall receive an note e hundred fold and shall inherit everlasting life Paraphrase 29. And whosoever shall for my sake part with any of the advantages and possessions of this life whatsoever it is he shall be so farre from being a loser by it that he shall in this very life be by that means abundantly more richly provided for in the same proportion that he which in the harvest hath the most plentifull returns to his seed and pains-taking c. 13. 8. 30. But many that are first shall be last and the last shall be first Paraphrase 30. But though you have advantage of other men in being thus early in Discipleship yet 't is very possible that some that come after you in time as Paul may labour as fervently deserve as much and consequently be as richly rewarded as you upon which followes the parable of c. 20. 1. Annotations on Chap. XIX V. 12. Eunuches The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have a vulgar ordinary signification which is known by the English use of the word Eunuch that is in the expressions of the Grammarians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And

and the ruine of the house was great Paraphrase 49. But he that sinketh not down my precepts into his heart Annotations on Chap. VI. V. 1. Second Sabbath after the first This phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath been matter of trouble to Interpreters The most probable conjecture concerning it is that of the learned H. Grotius which I shall thus explain and confirme When any of the solemn yearly feasts fell on the Sabbath day that Sabbath had a speciall extraordinary respect attributed to it and was called sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great Sabbath and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great day of Sabbath Jo. 19. 31. Now three of these feasts there were the Passover Pentecost and the feast of Tabernacles Of these feasts some dayes there were dayes of holy assemblies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein the assemblies were called together as the first day of unleavened bread Lev. 23. 7. and the seventh day of it v. 8. the day of Pentecost Lev. 23. 21. the first of the feast of Tabernacles Lev. 23. 35. and the eighth v. 36. And these being dayes of rest as 't is appointed in every of those places were a kind of Sabbaths and distinguish'd from the other dayes of the feast and therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great day Is 1. 13. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great day of the feast Jo 7. 37. And accordingly Tertullian cont Marcion l. 5. speaking of the observation of dayes mentions jejunia dies magnos Fasts and great dayes But when any of these great dayes fell on the Sabbath too then that was not only a great day but a great Sabbath Now this great Sabbath was called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a prime or first Sabbath as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are all one and consequently three of these prime or great or first Sabbaths there were 1. When the Passover that is either of the great dayes of that feast but especially the first fell on a Sabbath and 2 ly when the day of Pentecost and 3 ly when the great day of the feast of Tabernacles fell on a Sabbath day and these prime or great Sabbaths were thus distinguish'd one from another The first of them call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first prime Sabbath i. e. when the first day of the feast of Passover fell upon a Sabbath day The second of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second prime Sabbath that is the day of Pentecost falling on a Sabbath The third of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the third prime Sabbath that is the great ●ay of the feast of Tabernacles falling on a Sabbath of which Josephus saith that 't is then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sabbath most adored or reverenced By all this appears that by this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is meant on the day of Pentecost falling on a Sabbath at that time That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be all one as if it had been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appears to be according to Analogy by the like use of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used frequently by Josephus not as 't is conceived for the tithe of tithes payed by the Levites to the Priests but the second tithing which was sold and the price carried up to Jerusalem and spent in festivity there Tob. 1. 7. which in Tobit is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in two words the second tithing V. 12. Praier 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies an oratory a place where men are wont to pray and so seems to be used in some places of the Scripture especially in S. Lukes writings So Acts 16. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Syriack read ubi conspiciebatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where a house of prayer was seen a praying place by a river side as here on a mountain such an one there was in Mispah 1. Mac. 3. 46. where upon occasion of the victory gotten by Joshua in that place Jos 11. 3 8. they were wont to meet to pray and to deliberate on any great affair and there was an Altar built by Joshua and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an house of prayer or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an house consecrate for prayers which prayers and consecration being both made unto God it is very agreeable that those places so consecrated to him should be called as here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oratories or praying houses of God Of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we find frequent mention in Josephus in his own life the people convened in a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they call it a house of prayer ample and capacious of great multitudes and speaking of Tiberias I found the people convened in a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Epiphan t. 2. l. 3. c. 80. There were ancient places of prayer both among the Jewes without the city and among the Samaritans as we find saith he in the Acts of the Apostles Such a place there is in Sichem which is now called Neapolis without the city in a plain region And some such place it may seem to be wherein Jesus coutinued all night in this verse V. 13. Apostles The title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apostles which is here by Christ said to be given to the Twelve is a name of power and dignity and authority in the Church and how it doth signifie so will deserve to be explained That the Government of the Church of God was now setled on the son of man upon earth that is upon Christ incarnate had been foretold Is 9. 6. the Government shall be upon his shoulders and Is 61. 1. the spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings c. he hath sent me to bind up c. to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord c. see Lu. 4. 18 21. In which place as the Anointing and the Spirit of the Lord being upon him so the sending is a setling the Government upon him And the sending is a solemn word noting a Diploma or Commission sealed to him as it were by God in heaven by the Spirits descending on him Mat. 3. 17. and that supplyed the place of the solemn unction the ceremony of advancing to any office which is therefore paraphrased by the Chaldee by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exaltation which was now out of fashion under the second Temple and was to be supplied by Gods testimony from Heaven as to Christ it was and is accordingly styled Gods anointing him with the holy Ghost Acts 10. 38. and simply Gods anointing Acts 4. 27. Hence it is that Christ is said to be sent by his Father Joh. 20. 21. to have power on earth to forgive sins Mat. 9. 6. to have all power in heaven and earth delivered to him Mat. 28. 18. to be the teacher and Lord of his Church or Disciples Joh. 13. 1. and as the High Priest of our profession so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉

〈◊〉 the apostle Heb. 3. 1. in the same sense as the Great Pastor of his sheep Heb. 13. 20. and the only as Pastor so Bishop of our soules 1 Pet. 2. 25. from whence saith Origen on Mat. 24. Propriè Episcopus Dominus Jesus est The Lord Jesus is properly a Bishop Now what was thus conferred on Christ was also personally exercised by him upon earth whiles he remained here he preached the Gospel instituted rites in his Church to continue for ever called disciples gave them commands used their ministery designed some to certain offices sent out seventy Lu. 10. 1. as Heralds before his face gave them power to cure diseases v. 9. and so committed to them some though but a temporary office or mission which ceased at their return to him v. 17. On others he resolved to instate a larger and more durable power to send them as his Father had sent him to make them his successors on earth but this he did not at this time He sent them indeed the Twelve peculiarly Mat. 10. 5. and that with no small power power to cast out unclean spirits v. 1. and to preach v. 7. and that was the summe of this Mission v. 8. Preach cure cleanse raise cast out devils freely ye have received freely give dispense the powers liberally to the advantage of others which are so freely bestowed on you Proportionably to this and that other of the seventy Lu. 10. it is to be remembred that among the Jewes all sorts of Messengers are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Ahijah 1 Kings 14. 6. is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an harsh Apostle or messenger of ill news so the twelve spyes Num. 13. were said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be sent to explore the land and were as it were a sampler of the Twelve that here Christ sends out on the like account and in the Old Testament the word is no otherwise used Among the Talmudists'tis used of them that were by the Rulers of the Synagogues sent out to receive the tenths and dues that belonged to the Synagogues such as Philo calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sent for the monies of the Temple leg●ad Caium and by the Emperour Augustus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receivers and in like manner the messengers of the Church that carryed their liberality or letters congratulatory from one to another are by Ignatius called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the divine carriers or Embassadors and so in the Theodosian Codex tit de Judaeis Apostoli are those that were sent by the Patriarch at a set time to require the gold and silver due to them Of these it is observable that when they were thus imployed though not on any very high imployments and but for a short time they yet were furnish'd with letters of Proxy or Attourney that what they did might be done in the names and persons of those from whom they were sent and from thence the Axiom is known among the Jewes that every mans Apostle is as himself to which Christ seems to referre Mat. 10. 14. He that receiveth you receiveth me c. So when Saul was sent by the Jewish Sanhedrim to Damascus Acts 9. he had the letters of the High Priest with him v. 2. And hitherto there is nothing discernible in this word Apostle that hath any denotation of dignity or government that must be fetch'd from Joh. 20. 21. where Christ sends his disciples as his Father had sent him sends them solemnly and with commission in that notion of sending wherein the Procurator or Proconsul is sent to his Province or wherein Moses is sent to the Israelites in Egypt send by whom thou wilt send saith Moses or wherein Kings and Judges and Saviours are every where in the Old Testament said to be sent when they are by God advanced to any Government Thus must Christ mean of himself that he was sent by his father see Mat. 10 40. 15. 24. Joh. 3. 24. 5. 38. 6. 57. 17. 3. consequently thus must it be understood that they are sent by Christ and so Joh. 17. 11. As thou hast sent me into the world I also have sent them without referring to the ordinary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Jewes the messengers of the Patriarchs And so as in the earthly Kingdom the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rulers or Procurators such was Pilat in Judaea which are next the Regal authority are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sent 1 Pet. 2. 14. so the Apostles of Christ are sent also in Christs spirituall Kingdome sent not before his face as Ministers Disciples the Seventy Lu. 10. 1. and generally messengers are said to be sent but sent as his successors and heires on earth endued with that power by commission from him which he here executed And this is the meaning of the word here which seems not as yet to be bestowed on them by Christ but being after really instated on them 't is here and c. 17. 5. 22. 14. occasionally mentioned and so Mat. 10. 2. by way of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or anticipation as the name Peter is Mat. 4. 18. the title that belonged to them at the writing of this Thus when we read that the Father gave judgement to the Son Joh. 5. 22. we read also in effect that the Son gives judgment to the Apostles Mat. 19. 28. Lu. 22. 30. 2 Cor. 10. 6. when the Father gives the Son power to forgive sins upon earth Mat. 10. 6. the Son gives power to the Apostles to remit sin on earth also Joh. 20. 23. As the Father gave the keyes to the Son Is 22. 22. Rev. 3. 7. so the Son gave the keyes to the Apostles Mat. 16. 19. As the Father gave the Son to sit on his Throne so the Son gave the Apostles to fit with him on Thrones Mat. 19. 28. Lu. 22. 30. As the Father gave the Son to be the foundation or corner stone of the Church Mat. 21. 42. so the Son gave the Apostles to be foundations upon a foundation Eph. 2. 20. the foundation of Apostles Christ being the chief corner stone And so as the Father sent the Son Joh. 5. 24. 17. 18. so the Son sent the Apostles Joh. 20. 21 And from the dignity of this office it is that the very Angel Rev. 19. 20. whose name hath no more in it then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath both signifying messengers or legates professes himself to be but a fellow-servant of John and his Brethren that have the testimony of Jesus that is of Apostles and Apostolick men The testification of the resurrection of Christ and the Christian faith to which the Apostles were sent by Christ being as 't is there said the spirit of Prophecy the most honourable office that any mortal can be designed to by Christ and there put in comparison with that joyfull news brought them by that

26. For as God hath of and from himself power to give life to any thing so hath he given this power to me and I have it 27. And he hath given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the son of man Paraphrase 27. And as I am God-man that is in that I have thus humbled my self to this mean estate which ought not to lessen but rather encrease the account which is due to me in the world my Father by way of reward Phil. 2. 8 9. hath given me all power and authority both now and hereafter in and over his Church And so again in other respects as 1. that men having a mercifull high priest not such an one as cannot suffer or consequently be touched with our infirmities but one that is a man upon the earth in all things tempted like unto us yet without sinne might have confidence of accesse to him in his present government of all things and 2. that men which have bodies and so are visible and are to be judged hereafter as well as Angels may have a visible judge of them and of al things done in their bodies 28. Marvaile not at this for the houre is coming in which all that are in their graves shall heare his voice Paraphrase 28. Let not what I say be matter of wonderment to you for certainly there shall be as certainly as if it were come already a time of generall resurrection for all the dead and an essay thereof shall shortly be seen among you 29. And shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation Paraphrase 29. And the righteous shall have their bodies and souls united in blisse and the wicked shall also have a restitution of their bodies to receive their sentence and punishment 30. I can of mine own selfe doe nothing as I hear so I judge and my judgment is just because I seek not mine own will but the will of the Father which hath sent me Paraphrase 30. My judgment is a righteous judgment and agreeable to my Fathers method and decree that they which believe on me shall be saved and they that reject me damned This my Father hath declared and therefore 't is not the seeking either honour or revenge to my self that I say or doe this but the going according to my Fathers prescript and nothing else 31. If I bear witnesse of my self my witnesse is not true 32. There is another that beareth witnesse of me and I know that the witnesse which he witnesseth of me is true Paraphrase 31 32. If I did any thing that tended to mine own honour and were a single witnesse therein you might reasonably except against it but as that which I doe is not to honour my self but only to execute my Fathers will so for the truth of what I say my Father bears witnesse of me and hath done it already by sending the Spirit and a voice from heaven and giving me power to doe miracles and that sure is a competent testimony which can deceive none 33. Ye sent unto John and he bare witnesse unto the truth Paraphrase 33. And for the triall hereof you have sent to John who baptized me when the Spirit so descended on me and he that saw it testified to you the truth of it 34. But I receive not testimony from man but these things I say that ye might be saved Paraphrase 34. But as for me I need not the testimony of John or any man but yet that you that believe him may believe him of me and so escape and flie from the danger which approacheth you I thus mention to you his testimony which was of such authority with you 35. He was a burning and shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light Paraphrase 35. He was that Elias described Ecclus. 48. by being like fire and his word burning like a lamp and for a while you liked well to hear him but assoon as he testified of me then you presently rejected him 36. But I have greater witnesse then that of John for the works which the Father hath given me to finish the same works that I doe bear witnesse of me that the Father hath sent me Paraphrase 36. But I have no need of that testimony of his for the working of those miracles which God hath enabled me to work is a greater demonstration of my being sent by God then John Baptist's testimony that he saw the Spirit descend upon me 37. And the Father himself which sent me hath born witnesse of me Ye have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape Paraphrase 37. And God the Father by voice from heaven hath testified of me But ye as according to your Fathers desire exprest Exod. 20. 19. Deut. 5. 25. and 18. 16. ye have not heard the voice of God nor seen his appearance so it appears by your actions ye behave your selves as those that know nothing of God ungodly impious men see 1 Joh. 3. 6. 38. And ye have not his word abiding in you for whom he hath ●ent him ye believe not Paraphrase 38. And for that only means leaft you the word of God revealed to you ye doe not make use of that or live according to it as is apparent by your not believing on me who have seen and heard and know his will and am sent by God as the only means of declaring that will to you and am foretold in the scripture as the Messias to come 39. Search the scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternall life and they are they which testifie of me Paraphrase 39. Look into and examine the writings of the Old Testament whereon you depend and believe that through performance of the Mosaicall precepts you shall have eternall life And on examination you shall find that all those prophecies are types and fulfilled in me and that all the promises of life there made have an aspect on me the giver of life And ye will not come to me that ye might have life 40. And ye will not come to me that ye might have life Paraphrase 40. But ye though ye look upon these as the repository of your present and eternall blisse and though they direct you to me as the only means to attain it yet wilfully reject me and by that means your eternall blisse also 41. I receive not honour from men 42. But I know you that ye have not the love of God in you Paraphrase 41 42. Alas 't is not your approbation or estimation to be acknowledged or wel-spoken of by you that I contend for while I thus speak But to this purpose I say it By your dealing with me who come with this testimony of my Father it is apparent and discernible how farre you are whatever you pretend from all piety and love of God that this testimony of

Apostle addes now in another style 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after powers then gifts of healings Of which two it must first be observed that they doe not denote severall persons distinct from the former for 't is evident the Apostles had both the powers and the gifts but onely several 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or extraordinary gifts with which the Apostles and Prophets and Teachers were all endowed And consequently these cannot be imagined to constitute new orders in the Church nor those that follow in this place helps c. Secondly for the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 powers it is most probable that by it is denoted the same thing that by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 10. operations of powers which are there also joyned with gifts of healing and those may denote those operations or exercises of powers which we find exemplified in S. Peter on Ananias and Sapphira in Paul on Barjesus either inflicting immediate death or diseases upon them or pronouncing that they should come and accordingly it followed and in those first times in the Governours of the Church by their censures delivering men up to Satan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the destruction of the flesh to inflict diseases on them And this may very probably be the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 powers here also and so 't is acknowledged by Theophylact And these seem to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prodigies wrought by the Apostles Act. 2. 43. upon which 't is said that fear was on every soule in like manner as it was said upon the death of Ananias ch 5. 10. in respect of these powers of the Apostles Ib. Helps That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to sucoour or relieve any in distresse hath been said Note on Lu. 10. b. and there is no doubt but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is to be taken in that sense relieving and providing for the poor out of the stock of the Church and this here set down as a special part as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is another of the office of those men which were set down in the beginning of the verse the powers and the gifts of healing referring to the virtues and assistances by which they were back'd in the discharge of their office and so in an inferiour degree the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sorts of tongues in the close of the verse skill in some languages which was usefull to their preaching to the nations but these two helps and governments denoting two special parts of their office under which all was indeed contained which had not been before intimated in their names For as to the former of these the relieving of the poor that alwaies belonged to the Apostles and Bishops and though the Deacons were employed in one inferiour part of it the serving tables Act. 6. the distributing of the several portions daily to the poor widowes c. as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 servants under the steward yet the supreme trust and charge was reserved to the Apostles and Bishops of the Church So Act. 20. 35. S. Paul appoints the Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to relieve or succour those that were weak or sick which by the Context the mention of Christs words It is better to give than to receive is applyed to acts of charity supply of corporal wants And so in the 41. Can. of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. A Bishop must have the care of the monies so that by his power all be dispensed to the poor by the Presbyters and Deacons and we command that he have in his power the goods of the Church So Just in Martyr Apol. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is gathered is deposited with the Praefect or Bishop and he helps relieves the orphans and widowes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and becomes the curator or guardian to all absolutely that are in want So Ignatius in his Epistle to Polycarp the Bishop of Smyrna 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 After the Lord thou shalt be the curator of the widowes And accordingly Polycarp himself speaking of the Elders or Bishops among the parts of their office reckons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they visit and take care of all that are sick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not neglecting the widow or orphane or the poor and therefore saith he must be farre from the love of money as S. Paul appoints in the qualification of the Bishop And therefore as the bounty of the first believers Act. 2. was brought to the Apostles feet and they by that means were made the dispensers of it so the contribution that Paul and Barnabas brought in time of famine to the poor brethren in Judaea was by them delivered into the hands of the Elders or Bishops of the Churches of Judaea Act. 11. 30. as to the stewards which had the supreme power on earth of ordering this family of Christ And so Epaphroditus that was sent with the liberality of the Church to Paul Phil. 4. 18. and is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that ministred to his wants Phil. 2. 25. is by Theodoret and others affirmed to be the Bishop of the Philippians at that time By all which the account and reason appears why the ancients doe explain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 helps here by praefectures this office of providing for and looking to the poor being a special part of the Bishops power which he had over the goods of the Church in the forecited Canon Apostolical Ib. Governments The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is all one with the Latine gubernationes and so denotes the power and office of ruling and governing particular Churches already planted by the Apostles and by them committed to the care of the Bishops set down here under the style of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teachers who as they farther instructed the congregations which had received the faith so did they rule and order and administer them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Hesychius Hence I suppose it is that as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pastor and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to discharge the office of a pastor denotes this power of ruling and is the description of an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ruler Mat. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who shall rule the people and is applied first to Christ Mat. 26. 31. Joh. 10. 11 14. Heb. 13. 20. 1 Pet. 5. 4. and joyn'd with Bishop 1 Pet. 2. 25. then to S. Peter Joh. 21. 16. then to the Bishops of Asia Act. 20. 28. then to the Bishops of the Jewes in their several dispersions 1 Pet. 5. 1. so 't is joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teacher Ephes 4. 11. and not as a several office from that as Apostles Prophets and Evangelists had been but as two parts of the same

contrary to the vicious practices of these men by undertaking the faith of Christ 20. But in a great house there are not onely vessels of gold and of silver but also of wood and of earth and some to honour and some of dishonour Paraphrase 20. But it is to be expected in the Church as in any great family that all should not be equally good some furniture of gold c. others of wood and earth or shels some for more creditable some for lesse creditable uses some heretical as other orthodox Professions 21. If any man therefore purge himself from these he shall be a vessell unto honour sanctified and meet for the masters use and prepared unto every good work Paraphrase 21. Which may therefore stirre up every man to be emulous of the best to be sure to rid himself from these pollutions of the Gnosticks and then as he shall be more valued by Christ so he shall be fitter to serve him in purity and every other Christian duty 22. Fly also youthfull lusts but follow righteousnesse faith charity peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart Paraphrase 22. But be sure to keep thy self from all those carnal affections which younger men are most subject to and not onely those of impurity which the Gnosticks indulge and allow to all that they may insnare them but also con●ntions and factions and emulations and love of glory c. And on the contrary be thou an emulous and earnest pursuer and follower of innocence fidelity and firm charity conjunction and agreement with all those that in purity and sincerity adhere constantly to Christ 23. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid knowing that they doe gender strifes Paraphrase 23. As for those idle and unprofitable questions that are set on foot by the Gnosticks that tend to no benefit and have nothing of true knowledge in them keep thy self carefully from them for they will breed debates and quarrels and nothing else 24. And the servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient Paraphrase 24. And there is nothing more unlike a true Christian then that he that is such must be milde and quiet and peaceable toward all others and being in place as thou art must be ready and industrious to instruct others in the truth and not apt or forward to punish those that doe amisse see note on 1 Cor. 13. b. 25. In meeknesse instructing those that oppose themselves note c if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth 26. and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at note d his will Paraphrase 25 26. With great calmenesse and temper dealing with those that are of different opinions from us though in opposing us they oppose the truth as counting it not impossible or hopelesse but that by the grace of God they may be brought to repentance and so come to acknowledge the truth at length and recover out of Satan's snare by whom they have been caught to d●e the will of God that is that being delivered out of Satan's hands they may prove fit instruments of God's service Annotations on Chap. II. V. 15. Rightly dividing That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to divide aright should referre to the custome in Sacrifices which were to be cut after a certain prescribed manner and to them some partes given to the Priests c. may probably be imagined But another notion of the phrase here as it is joyned with the word of truth may seeme more probable For in the Old Testament the Greek translators use of the word belongs to a way or path to goe in which was wont to be cut out that it might be fitter for use thence the Latine phrase viam secare to cut a way that is to goe before and direct any in their journey And with the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 right joyned with it it is to goe before one and direct him the straight way to such a place Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 3. 6. and 11. 5. is the rendring of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to set right or rectifie and so to cut a way right is to put one and keep one in the right way We render it direct thy paths and way in those places of the Proverbs and then the Gospel of Christ the word of truth being most fitly resembled to a way much better than to a sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rightly to cut the word of truth is to goe uprightly and according to the truth before others in Christianity And that was Timothies part as a Doctor or Bishop to lead them both by his example and doctrine the right way that is prescribed by Christ without falling into any errors or ill practice V. 16. Shunne The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 circumdedit signifies also divertit turning away or back as well as going round an is by the Septuagint or Greek translator of the Old Testament rendred no onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often to encompasse and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 once Ios 6. 3. but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declino to decline or avoid 1 Kin. 18. 11. and twenty times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 averto to put from us or fly from From hence it is that one of these interpretationsbeing set for the other according to the frequent manner of these writers or else by the power of the Passive or Meane differing from the Active 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here and Tit. 3. 9. signifies to avert decline avoid fly from the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 avoid v. 23. for which and in the same matter the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 avoiding is used 1 Tim. 6. 20. Thus doth Origen use the word against Celsus speaking of Christs going aside when the Pharisees consulted to kill him Mat. 12. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is no degenerous or cowardly thing to flie from dangers providently and not to mix with them where it signifies declining and so avoiding of dangers And so Hesychius renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 encompassing but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 avoid slie from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 look to which is so to look to to consider as to avoid Rom. 16. 17. if there be danger in it So Iosephus of Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He avoided or took heed lest many should imitate the impurity of his speeches and l. 2. De bell Iud. c. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 swearing is avoided by them in a passive sense Who they are which are here to be avoided and taken heed of is not obscurely set down in the following words viz. the Gnosticks that colluvies of Hereticks consisting of divers branches differing one

9. But ye are a chosen generation a roial priesthood an holy nation note e a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darknesse into his marveilous light Paraphrase 9. But you are and so must approve your selves to be a special sort of men a kingdome or multitude of priests set apart and consecrated for the continual serving and daily waiting upon God a people that being delivered from the dominion of other your former masters sin and Satan and persecuters and set free to be lords of your selves with liberty to what Christ commands you and so kings must now behave your selves also like so many priests those who spent all their time in sacrificing c. and so should you in the performing constant service unto God in the publick assemblies which God requires of you as he did the sacrifices of the Levitical priests see note on Rev. 1. d. and so a sacred holy nation as the whole people of the Jewes were an holy people in one respect Lev. 25. 23. and as the Levites were in another a peculiar treasure of Christs for him to preserve first Mal. 3. 17. then to possesse as his own that so by this means by this constant publick serving of him you may set forth and illustrate Christs powerfull and gracious workings see note on 2 Pet. 1. a. who hath wrought so glorious and blessed a change in you 10. Which in time past were not a people but are now the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy Paraphrase 10. Who at first continued in unbelief among your brethren the Jewes and so were become a kinde of heathen people were not at all within the obedience of Christ the pale of his Church but now are received into it you that a long time while Christ lived here on the earth had not the happinesse to believe in him but have found place of repentance since and are now received into the Church and the favour of God 11. Dearly beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul Paraphrase 11. To you therefore that are at this time dispers'd among the nations c. 1. 1. see c. 1. 17. as to so many scattered travelling persons who ought of all others to be most wary to avoid dangers and to behave your selves tenderly as in the sight of strangers my present exhortation becomes seasonable to avoid the doctrines and practices of the Gnosticks and to that end to remember that you are not at home but in a journey and so that it is most unseasonable for you at such a time to indulge your selves to the excesses and jollities which men in their own houses or countries do sometimes indulge to but do not use them in a strange place or before those they know not remembring farther the dangerous malignant nature of such lusts that they were most pernicious to the soul 12. Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good works which they shall note f behold glorifie God in the note g day of visitation Paraphrase 12. But that you on the contrary live so as may be of good report among the Gentiles that they that look on Jewes not only as persons of another Religion but also as rebels and malefactors may see the Christians to be quite otherwise and by your actions reverence you and so entertain a good opinion of Christian Religion which hath such an influence upon you in making the Christian Jewes so much more regular and meek then the other Jewes are more quiet under the heathen government which is now over them and so more capable of good usage under the Emperors when they send their Proconsuls to suppresse the seditions then the unbelieving Jewes have appeared to be 13. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as supreme Paraphrase 13. Be obedient therefore to every heathen governor see note on Rom. 8. c. upon obligation of conscience because he is instituted by God and this whether to Cesar the Emperor in the first place as the Supreme 14. Or unto Governors as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that doe well Paraphrase 14. Or in the next place and in subordination to him to Proconsuls and Procurators by Commission appointed by him for the keeping of Courts punishing of malefactors and rewarding and encouraging the obedient 15. For so is the will of God that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men Paraphrase 15. For to this doth Christian Religion oblige all that by subjection to our heathen superiours and by all other Christian performances see note on c. 4. f. we should leave the hea●●ens unable to object any thing against us 16. As free and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousnesse but as the servants of God Paraphrase 16. As men that are freed by Christ from many yokes but not from that of subjection to God or to superiours and therefore not pretending to any such liberty nor covering sedition c. under colour of Christianity as the Gnosticks did 1 Tim. 6. 17. Honour all men Love the brotherhood Fear God Honour the King Paraphrase 17. Give every man the honour and obedience due to him Love all your fellow-Christians Fear God and in subordination to him pay all obedience to the Emperor 18. Servants be subject to your masters with all fear not only to the good and gentle but also to the froward Paraphrase 18. Let all servants approve their obedience to their masters to be sincere by performing it not only when they use them kindly and favourably but even when by unjust usage they provoke them to some impatience and resistance for this is the season for them to shew forth the influence of Christianity upon their hearts 19. For this is thank-worthy if a man for conscience toward God endure grief suffering wrongfully Paraphrase 19. And this will be accepted graciously and rewarded by God see Luk. 6. 32. and Luk. 1. note k. if upon sight of our duty to God we bear with all patience those pressures which most unjustly light upon us 20. For what glory is it if when ye be buffeted for your faults ye shall take it patiently but if when ye do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently this is acceptable with God Paraphrase 20. For what great matter is it worth considering or rewarding what heroical action is it to which honour is thought to be due if men indure submissely those punishments which fall justly on them for their demerits But on the other side if when ye have done no ill and are then by your superiors abused and used contumeliously if this be born

much more then those of Ezekiel and Daniel but by him detorted and wrested from their native itelligible sense to far distant purposes This view I shall not chuse to give here out of its place but leave the Reader to make it up by putting together these few notes on the three ensuing Chapters ch 1. g. ch 2. b. d. g. ch 3. a. That the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine is here given to the writer of these Visions and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle is not from any imagination of those that affix'd it that the Apostle John was not writer of them but because that title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was by the Antients Origen especially bestowed on this Apostle in respect of the divinity and sublimity of his manner of writing observable in his Gospel and particularly becausee he began it with setting down the divinity of Christ whereas others begin with his birth or humanity the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word was God This title had by the Platonists been given to Orpheus in relation to the book concerning the Gods written by him and so to Linus and Musaeus also those three ordinarily known by the name of Thrologi poetae CHAP. I. 1. THE Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to shew unto his servants things that must shortly come to passe and he sent and signified it by his Angel unto his servant John Paraphrase 1. The prophecie or vision of Revelation of Jesus Christ which as to our great Prophet and Intercessor or Mediator between God and us was put into his hands by his Father that he might as he pleased make known to his Apostles some things that should suddenly come to Passe many of them in the age wherein they lived as his dealing with his crucifiers and their persecutors the Jews and as some of them he made known to them all together whilst he was alive as then near at hand Mar. 24. 34. Luk. 21. Mar. 13. so now he hath thought fit to send a Symbolical representation of the same and all the rest the whole matter of this prophecie by an Angel to John his most beloved disciple 2. Who bare record of the word of God of note a the testimony of Jesus Christ and of all things that he saw Paraphrase 2. That John that had preached or given in his testimony concerning the word of God the doctrine and deeds and sufferings and resurrection of Christ whereby he testified his to be the doctrine and will of his Father and some particulars which he peculiarly saw see Joh. 19. note d. and 1 Joh. 1. 1. not taken notice of by others 3. Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecie and keep those things which are wirtten therein for the time is at hand Paraphrase 3. In this Revelation other prophecies there are and predictions of things future after this of the Jewes destruction and therein mixt the admirable ways of God's providence in permitting and punishing his enemies exercising and rewarding the patience of his servants the constant Christians And so the prophecies here set down of the destructions of the enemies of Christ are matter of comfort to all them are now under persecution and are such as concern every one that now lives to read and observe and to perform whar herein he is admonished to perform For the time is close at hand wherein one after another all those prophecies tending all to set from Gods wonderful providence in punishing his enemies and protecting his servant shall be successively fulfilled 4. John to the seven Churches in note b Asia Grace be unto you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from note c the seven spirits which are before his throne Paraphrase 4. These Revelations which I John thus received I send in an Epistle to the seven Churchess of Asia which I salute my self and am commanded to send them greeting from the eternal God whose name is Jehovah which signifies He that is and was and shall be and from the Angels which attend and wait upon God eh 4. 5. and are as in the Sanhedrim the officers waiting on the head of the Sanhedrim to go on all their messages or as in the Chruch the Deacons to attend the commands of the Governour of the Church and to perform them see Mat. 18. note a. 5. And from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witnesse and the first-begotten of the dead and the Prince of the Kings of the earth unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood Paraphrase 5. And from Jesus Christ him that testified and made known being here on earth the will of his Father with all fidelity see note a. and ch 3. c. and that being crucified rose from the dead and so as our first-fruits 1 Cor. 15. 20. ascertained our resurrection wherein we his brethren shall be like him our elder brother and hath all power given unto him in heaven and in earth is superiour to all the Princes of this world Dan. 4. 17. whose power or persecutions ye may fear to him that hath made use of that power to express the reality of his love to us in purging us from our sins obtaining justifica●ion and sanctification for us by the satisfaction wrought by the shedding of his blood and all the merits of his death and the power of his resurrection and the blessed consequents of it the sending of his Spirit and his own Intercession at the right hand of his Father all consequents of that blood-shedding of his upon which God so highly exalted him above all Philip. 2. 9. 6. And hath made us note d Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen Paraphrase 6. And all this that he might purchase to himself a Church of obedient servants and accordingly he hath now set us apart as consecrated persons such as Kings and Priests were of old to perform daily service unto him and delivered us from our persecutors that we may do so To this Saviour and Redeemer of ours be ascribed as to our eternal God all glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen Which acknowledgment of that disciple of his attributing the same to Christ which Christ teaches us to attribute to our Father in heaven Mat. 6. and which belongs onely to God is a sure testimony that Christ is God see note on Rom. 9. c. 7. Behold he note e cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him even so Amen Paraphrase 7. Behold this is his season wherein he cometh to protect his servants and to inflict vengeance on his enemies see note on Mat. 24. b. as discernibly as when by the appearance of Angels in white clouds

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wo woe to Jerusalem This he continued to do till the time of the siege seven years together and at last to his ordinary note of Wo to the city the people the temple adding Wo 〈◊〉 me a stone from the battlements fell down and 〈◊〉 him To this I shall adde no more but that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the land here being the land of Judaea the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inhabitants of the land is as truly agreeable to the Jewes as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are all one also 'T is onely farther observable that these prophetick woes are here said to be three and those inflicted and brought upon the people by that which is represented by the voices of the trumpets of the three Angels still behind the first mentioned as past ch 9. 12. the second and third ch 11. 14. see Note on ch 11. e. And so what is here represented in this part of the Vision is but the setting down of this prophecy which Jesus the son of Ananias should deliver concerning the judgements and not the judgements themselves which follow in the succeeding chapters And so 't is more perfectly parallel to that passage out of Josephus and Eusebius which was a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or prodigie to fore●signifie that destruction and not the destruction it self CHAP. IX 1. AND the fifth Angel sounded and I saw note a a starre fall from heaven unto the earth and to him was given the key of the bottomelesse pit Paraphrase 1. And upon the sounding of the fifth trumpet I saw him that was before c. 8. 10. the leader of the seditious or some other that succeeded in his place and he became a ring-leader of most hellish villanes which under the title of Zelots did all the mischief imaginable 2. And he opened the bottomelesse pit and there arose a smoak out of the pit as the smoak of a great furnace and the Sun and the aire were darkned by reason of the smoak of the pit Paraphrase 2. And they marched up to Jerusalem and seised upon the temple there kill'd the high Priests and the rest of the Priests and plunder'd the city 3. And there came out of the smoak Locusts upon the earth and unto them was given power as the Scorpions of the earth have power Paraphrase 3. And these became as Locusts great wasters and devourers and were in other respects peculiarly like Locusts which having no King goe out by bands Prov. 30. 27. and such were these a company of giddy wilde people in great numbers harassing and devouring all 4. And it note b was commanded them that they should not hurt the grasse of the earth neither any green thing neither any tree but onely those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads Paraphrase 4. But by God's providence disposing for the good of his servants so it was that this judgement of the Zelots fell not upon the Christians see note on c. 8. d. but onely upon the Jews themselves that were as contrary to Christianity as any onely because they were not of the faction of those Zelots 5. And to them it was given that they should not kill them but that they should be note c tormented five moneths and their torment was as the torment of a Scorpion when he striketh a man Paraphrase 5. And the judgement that fell upon the Jewes by these men was not so much a down-right killing though that also befel Annas and the Priests see note a. as plundering and pillaging and undoing them and tearing their necessary food from the best citizens of Jerusalem and thus continuing for five moneths space till Titus came to besiege the city by which means the siege became much the more cruell and intolerable when it came and so this was most fitly compared to scorpions as the whipping with them is the most cruel and terrible infliction much more cruell then any other scourge 1 King 12. 11. 6. And in those dayes shall men note d seek death and shall not find it and shall desire to dye and death shall flee from them Paraphrase 6. This brought a great famine want on the greatest and richest men and that is ●arre more miserable then death it self see note on c. 6. a. 7. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared to battell and on their heads were as it were crowns of gold and their faces were as the faces of men Paraphrase 7. And these devouring wasters the Zelots were in appearance like warriers and pretended themselves to be redeemers of the people and counter-conquerours of the Romans which is meant by their Crowns like unto gold false Princes false Patriots and they took upon them to be Saviours and Benefactors saith Josephus would look like men kind and friendly when they wrought all this ruine to their brethren 8. And they had hair as the hair of women and their teeth were as the teeth of lions Paraphrase 8. And all this while these that thus devoured and preyed upon all they came near and so were most terrible to those that could not resist were most base cowardly persons these great plunderers far from having any manliness or valour in them 9. And they had breast plates as it were breast-plates of iron and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battell Paraphrase 9. And they were hard-hearted compassionless people and in great troops like grasse-hoppers or locusts they flew about and made all places resound with their noise and at the newes of them Joel 2. 5. 10. And they had tails like unto scorpions and there were stings in their tails and their power was to hurt men five moneths Paraphrase 10. And as scorpions wound and sting with their tails so they coming in with faire pretences of Saviours and Benefactors when they depart plunder and carry all along with them and so they continue till the time of Titus siege v. 5. just five moneths space 11. And they had a King over them which is the Angel of the bottomeless pit whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon but in the Greek tongue hath his name note e Apollyon Paraphrase 11. And though they disclaim having any King over them but God and upon that score pretend to rise up against the Romans and though like locusts v. 3. they goe out by bands having no King to conduct them yet their cruelty and unmercifulnesse in destroying ownes them to have a King who rules among them and puts them upon all this villany Satan that delights in nothing but destroying 12. One woe is past and behold there come two woes more hereafter Paraphrase 12. And this is the first of those woes or pests foretold c. 8. 13. And though this were a competent judgement on that nation there are yet two more approaching them 13. And the sixth Angel

in the infancy endangered to be devoured by the Dragon the devil assistd by the Roman power the persecuting Emperour Nero about the tenth year of his reign had it not been wonderfully preserved by God 6. And the note c woman fled into the wilderness where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days Paraphrase 6. And soon after the Christians were by edict forbidden throughout the Empire but God preserved his Church in this persecution which lasted three years and an half 7. And there was warre in heaven Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon fought and his Angels Paraphrase 7. And there was a great contention at Rome between Simon Peter on one side the planter of the Christian faith and Bishop of the Jewish Christians and so maintainer of Michael's or Christ's cause there and Simon Magus that Apostate servant of the Devil at his second coming to Rome in Nero's time the one contending for Christ the other against him see note on 2 Tim. 3. a. 8. And prevailed not neither was their place found any more in heaven Paraphrase 8. And Peter and the cause of Christ prevailed against him for thought at his former coming to Rome in Claudius's dayes Simon was there worship'd for a God and at his second coming much favoured by Nero yet upon his undertaking to fly in the aire by Peter's prayers he was cast down and maimed in the fall and through pain and shame forced to cast himself headlong down from the top of an house see 2 Tim. 3. a. 9. And the note d great Dragon was cast out that old serpent called the Devil and Satan which deceiveth the whole world he was cast out into the earth and his Angels were cast out with him Paraphrase 9. And by this means the Devil that doth so oppose the Christian faith and reduce men to heathenisme and to corrupt living was cast out of his unlimited power in mens hearts and many upon this victory of Peter over Simon Magus turned Christians 10. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven Now is come salvation and strength and the kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ for the accuser of our brethren in cast down which note e accused them before our God day and night Paraphrase 10. And this was matter of joy to all the Christians nay to the angels of heaven who therefore praised and magnified the power of the Christian doctrine which had cast out the eminent piece of hypocrisie out of the Church the doctrine of the Gnosticks which did really infuse that into Christians for which the devil is wont to accuse the servants of God falsely and gave an essay of it in his charging of Job c. 1. 11. to wit that in time of persecution they will deny and forswear Christ 11. And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony and they loved not their lives unto the death Paraphrase 11. And the faithful sincere Christians Peter and Paul and divers others having the patience and constancy of Christ before their eyes who laid down his life for them and his frequent doctrines of taking up the cross and following him resolved to do so as he had given them example and command and this was a victory over Satan and these instruments of his the Gnosticks which would have seduced all the Christians from their constancy 12. Therefore rejoice ye heavens and ye that dwell in them Wo to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea for the devil is come down unto you having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time Paraphrase 12. A thing much to be applauded rejoiced at by all good men and angels But upon this the devil was hugely inraged to see his subtilty the tail of this serpent v. 4. the false doctrines and infusions of these hereticks thus miscarry and therefore in the rage of his knowing that if he did not bestir himself mightily Christianity prevailing in the purity and sincerity of it would utterly be his ruine and that suddenly he set a-foot the persecution against the whole Christian Church by Nero's edicts in a sharp manner 13. And when the Dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child Paraphrase 13. By this to revenge himself upon Christianity for the destruction of Simon his beloved instrument 14. And to the woman were given two wings of a great Eagle that she might fly into the wilderness into her place where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time from the face of the serpent Paraphrase 14. And so not only at Rome v. 6 but in all other parts of the Roman Empire Christianity was persecuted and the Christians forced to flie some one way and some another as they had been Acts 8. 1. by which means they were by the providence of God kept safe for some while see v. 6. 15. And the serpent cast out of his mouth waters as a floud after the woman that he might cause her to be carried away to the floud Paraphrase 15. Mean-while Satan used all means to pursue the Christians whither they fled raising up persecutions from Nero against them in the provinces by which he hoped to have utterly drowned and destroyed the Church 16. And note f the earth helped the woman and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the floud which the Dragon cast out of his mouth Paraphrase 16. But these afflictions and calamities which the devil designed the Christians were diverted by the seditions raised by the Jewes against the Romans by which means it came to passe that all the malice which was by Satan designed against the Christians fell actually upon the Jewes under Vespasian and Titus and so at the time the persecution of the Christians was necessarily cooled and fell upon the Jews their greatest enemies 17. And the Dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed which keep the commandments of God and keep the testimony of Jesus Christ Paraphrase 17. And this was a great vexation to Satan to see Christianity thrive the better by this means and therefore he set to his former design again that of setting the Emperors upon persecuting the Christians viz. the pure Orthodox of them that stood out constant in confession of Christ and would not for acquiring safety join with the Jews or Gnosticks and comply with them And this persecution now designed by Satan is that which fell out under Domitian the subject of the next vision c. 13. Annotations on Chap. XII V. 1. Clothed with the Sun and What notion is here to be affix'd to the Sun and Moon may thus most probably be resolved The Sun being the Spring and fulness of light communicating to

no Edict against them as Christians at the least none for the putting of them to death as the plea of S. Paul before Felix and Festus his appeal to Caesar which was at the beginning of Nero make it plain And accordingly we finde that when S. Paul came to Rome Act. 28. he preached there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all boldnesse or publicknesse and was not forbidden And at the writing of his Epistle to the Romans their faith saith he was famous in all the world Rom. 1. and he had oft desired to come to them Rom. 15. 22. and that for many years v. 23. And all this in Claudius's time before his going to Rome which argues also that this woman was not yet fled that is banish'd into the wildernesse And therefore of Nero it is Tertullian's phrase that he first dedicated persecution primum Neronem in hanc sectam ferociisse Nero was the first Emperor that persecuted Christian Religion V. 9. Great Dragon The Hebrews call Satan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the old serpent so again c. 20. 2. And the casting him out at this time is the prospering of the Christian faith consequent to this discomfiture of Simon Magus and the manifestation of the power of Christ So faith Arnobius 1. 2. Non distulerunt res patrias linquere veritati coalescere Christianae viderunt enim currum Simonis c. They delayed not to leave all their worldly possessions and to cleave to Christianity which was now under interdict For they saw Simons chariot and fiery horse dispelled by the breath of Saint Peter's mouth c. And as by this means the Heathens were converted to the faith by seeing the power of Peter so were the Gnosticks discomfited seeing their leader Simon destroyed V. 10. Accused them The accusation that Satan brings against sincere Christians appears by his dealing with Job c. 1. 9 11. to be to this effect that they are Hypocrites and will only serve God as long as he protects and defends them This it hereby appears that Satan looks on as the charge of all others most for his turn to bring against men and therefore that which he most desires to have truely said of them Now the chief doctrine of the sect of the Gnosticks the followers of this Simon who is called the first-born of Satan was this that in time of persecution it is lawful to denie and forswear Christ which was the very thing that the Devil laid to Job's charge and consequently all that were by him seduced into that doctrine Satan might justly accuse before God day and night as really guilty of that accusation But when the doctrine of the Guosticks and the professors of it were now cast out of the Church then this is here truly said that the accuser of the brethren that is of Christians is cast out that is Satan can no longer with any justice accuse the Christian Church or if he doe he is found to be a false accuser V. 16. The earth helped the woman The solemn notation of Judaea by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the land hath often been taken notice of and is very pertinent to this place the seditions that were raised there about this time of Nero's reign diverting the malice designed against the Christians and the same continued all the time of Galba Otho Vitellius Vespasian and Titus and in all this space the Romans being wholly taken up about the Jews the heathen Emperors did nothing against the Christians till Domitian comes who is the subject of the Vision in the next Chapter CHAP. XIII 1. AND I stood upon the sand of the sea and saw a beast rise up out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns and upon his horns ten crowns and upon his head note a the name of blasphemy Paraphrase 1. And I was in the island Patmos upon the sea shore when I saw the vision that I am now to set down viz. concerning the execution of that ●designe of Satan of bringing persecution on the Christians at Rome ch 12. 17. And here the first thing I saw was a beast representing the heathen worship as it stood at Rome rising out of the sea as that is all one with the abysse or deep that is introduced among them by Satan see note on ch 11. c. and thriving and prospering by the strength and power of the Roman Emperors that heathen worship represented by this first beast and the Roman Empire by the seven heads either as seven Emperors ch 17. 10. or else as referring to the seven hills of Rome the seat of this Idol-worship usurping to its self that blasphemous title of being a Goddesse and the ten horns ten Kings noting those that complied with Rome in this deifying of their Emperors and in the rest of their Idol-worship viz. the many Kings that were by the Roman Emperor set over other places who therefore are said to have ten crowns 2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard and his feet were as the feet of a bear and his mouth as the mouth of a lion and the dragon gave him his power and his feat and great authority Paraphrase 2. And this Idolatrous heathen worship thus assisted by the power of the Empire began to be very cruel and cannot sufficiently be express'd by one cruel beast but having variety of all kinds of gods in it from which 't is represented by a speckled leopard it exercises all the cruelty both of bear and lion as was manifest by their persecutions of Christians And to the sustaining of this beast the Idolatrous heathen worship the Devil that laboured to destroy Christianity ch 12. 3. contributed all his power and skill did all that he could to hold it up by prodigies and by all other means 3. And I saw note b one of his heads as it were wounded to death and his deadly wound was healed and all the world wondered after the beast Paraphrase 3. And though one prime Temple on one of the seven hills of Rome the most stately of all the rost and so call'd the Capitol from a Latin word signifying Head were burnt down by lightning and esteemed to be smitten by God from heaven and so Idolatry conceived to have received a fatal blow yet that was soon rebuilt by Domitian the Emperor of Rome and that gave a great confirmation to Idolatry among all that lived in the Roman dominions and took notice of it See note k. 4. And they worshipped the Dragon which gave power unto the beast and they worshipped the beast saying Who is like unto the beast who is able to make war with him Paraphrase 4. And they worshipped the Devil who had thus upheld the heathen religion when the Jewish was destroyed resolving from hence that the God of Israel was not able to contend with their Devils nor his religion abole to maintain it self against their Idol-worship 5. And there was given unto him note c a

probably meant see Note k. which are to Rome as all Palaestine so often call'd by that style the land to Jerusalem and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wondring behind or after the beast signifies their great veneration wrought in them by this means to the Idol-Worship which is farther express'd by their worshipping the Dragon that is the Devil v. 2. called the old serpent c. 12. 9. and the Devil and Satan a Dragon being but a flying serpent by which the Devil hath always been represented Who being here look'd on as the maintainer of the heathen worship he is adored and applauded greatly and that farther express'd by their saying Who is like unto the beast who can fight with him that is No man or God is able to oppose this Idol-worship profess'd in the Capitol or resist the power by which it is upheld V. 5. A mouth speaking great things and blasphemies One special testimoney of the Heathens blasphemy against God upon occasion of the Romans victories over the Jews is that of Cicero pro Flacco speaking of the Jews Illa gens quàm chara diis immortalibus esset docuit quòd est victa quòd elocata quòd servit That nation hath taught us how dear they are to the immortal gods by their being conquered and subjected by the Romans to a King of their sending thither This hath been thought fit by a learned man to be brought to the illustrating of this place though indeed it belong to it only by way of accommodation as a proof how apt the Romans prosperity and conquests over Judaea were to make them blaspheme God not that this speech can belong to the point of time now spoken of being delivered long before by Cicero Dionysius Alexandrinus in Eusebius l. 7. c. 10. applies it to Valerian 255. years after Christ who by the instigation of the chief of the Magicians in Aegypt commanding him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to kill and persecute the pure and holy men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. as those that hindred their inchantments became a great enemy of the Church The like is again related of Diocletian that upon a response of Apollo from Delphi that the just upon earth hindred him from speaking truth he fell on persecuting the Christians see Eusebius De vita Const l. 2. c. 49 50. But that which is more pertinent to the times whereof I conceive the Vision speaks is Domitian's styling himself Dominus Deus noster and forbidding nè scripto quidem ac sermone cujusquam appellaretur aliter that any whether in words or writing should call him otherwise and appointing his statues of gold and silver to be set up in the Capitol and his professing his contempt of thunder and lightning See Suetonius in his life c. 13. Ib. Continue fourty and two moneths That which is read in some Copies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wage war fourty two moneths that is three years and an half is in other the best and ancientest Copies without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and then that is to spend or stay so many moneths Thus the King's MS. hath it and so in Eusebius Eccl. Hist l. 7. c. 10. Dionysius Alexandrinus citing this place reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as another reading of Eusebius hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power was given him fourty two moneths And then to stay so many moneths is to live so long which was puncturally true of Domitian who began his persecution in the thirteenth and dyed in the sixteenth year of his reign And so this is directly answerable to the space wherein Antiochus had vexed the Jews Dan. 7. 24. see Eissebius Eccl. Hist l. 3. c. 13. and so is fit to be express'd in the same form of words as we see it is V. 8. Names are not written in the book of life of the Lambe slain That the words here should not be read thus the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world though it be perfectly true that Christ was in the designation and decree of god so slain from the beginning but thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose names were not written from the foundation of the world that is were never written in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain may sufficiently appear by comparing this expression here with c. 17. 8. where the words are whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world Now some difference there is betwixt the book of life of the Lamb slain here the book of life in the place There the book of life signifies the register of all the good Christians on earth such as at that time when their names are said to be written in it are true believers but the book of life of the Lamb that was slain signifies peculiarly the register or catalogue of confessors such as already have or are now about to venture their lives for the confession of Christ to take up his crosse and follow him and so are conformable to this image of Christ this of the Paschal lamb by which he was antiently represented the sacrificed crucified Saviour And so these men of the land that is the Jews here that worship the beast the Gnosticks that to avoid persecution goe to their Idol-feasts or sacrifices are justly thus described they whose names from the foundation of the world have not been written in this book of life of the slain lamb or in the slain lamb's book of life V. 10. Leadeth into captivity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to gather together a captivity that is a number of Captives as he that undertakes to bring them back out of their Captivity to be their Captain and lead them against their Conquerour that hath taken them as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to gather to warre c. 16. 14 16. and 20. 8. and as the word gathering is particularly applied to Captives and so used by the Psalmist Gather us O Lord from among the people c. Psal 106. 47. having in the former verse mentioned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those that had carried them captive which concludes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us there to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Captivity here in like manner as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 circumcision is the Jews which were circumcised and many the like just as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gather together is all one with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gathering This is after farther express'd by killing with the sword that is making violent resistance and opposition against the persecuting Emperors which for a Christian to do is quite contrary to the faith and patience of the Saints which consists in suffering not in resisting in having their names written in the slain lambs book of life see Note d. not in the military list of those that will fight against their

on the Dragon that old Serpent which is the Devil and Satan and bound him a thousand years Paraphrase 2. And he apprehended the Devil that is set down under the title of Satan and the Dragon in former visions c. 12. 9. and bound him for the space of a thousand years noting the tranquillity and freedome from persecutions that should be allowed the Church of Christ from the time of Constantines coming to the Empire 3. And cast him into the bottomlesse pit and shut him up and set a seal upon him that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand yeares should be fulfilled and after that he must be loosed a little season Paraphrase 3. And he secured him there by all ways of security binding locking sealing him up that he might not deceive and corrupt the world to idolatry as till then he had done but permit the Christian profession to flourish till these thousand years were at end and after that he should get loose again for some time and make some havock in the Christian world 4. And I saw thrones and they sat upon them and judgment was given unto them and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus and for the word of God and which had not worshipped the beast neither his image neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands and they note a lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years Paraphrase 4. And I saw chairs and some sitting upon them that is Christian assemblies and judicatures and such a general profession of Christianity in opposition to the idolatries of the heathens those in the Capitol at Rome and the like unto them in other places of the Roman Empire see note on c. 13. b. as if all that had died for Christ and held out constantly against all the heathen persecutions had now been admitted to live and reign with Christ that is to live quiet flourishing Christian lives here for that space of a thousand years v. 5. 5. But note b the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished This is the note c first resurrection Paraphrase 5. As for the old Idolaters or Gnosticks there was nothing like them now to be seen not should be till the end of this space of a thousand years This is it that is proverbially described by the first resurrection that is a flourishing condition of the Church under the Messias 6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such note d the second death hath no power but they shall be Priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years Paraphrase 6. And blessed and holy that is safe separate from all danger are all they that are really in the number of those that partake effectually of these benefits who as they are rescued from those destructions which the Roman tyranny threatned them with which is the interpretation of the second death so they shall now have the blessing of free undisturbed assemblies for all this space see c. 1. note d. 7. And when the note e thousand years are expired Satan shall be loosed out of his prison Paraphrase 7. But after this space the sins of Christians provoking God to it this restraint being taken off from Satan he shall fall a disturbing the Christian profession again This fell out about a thousand years after the date of Constantines Edict for the liberty of the Christian profession at which time the Mahomedan religion was brought into Greece a special part of the Roman Empire 8. And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth note f Gog and Magog to gather them together to battel the number of whom is as the sand of the sea Paraphrase 8. And then shall he set about the seducing of men in all quarters to the Mahomedan or other false religions particularly God and Magog the inhabitants of those Countries where the Mahomedan religion began to flourish to engage them in vast numbers in a war to invade and waste the Christian Church in Greece c. 9. And they went upon the breadth of the earth and compassed the camp of the Saints about and the beloved city and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them Paraphrase 9. And accordingly methought they did they went in great numbers and besieged and took Constantinople that city so precious in God's eyes for the continuance of the pure Christian profession in it and known among the Grecians by the name of new Sion and in the chief Church there called the Church of Sophia they set up the worship of Mahomet just two hundred years ago And those that did so are in their posterity to be destroyed and though it be not yet done 't is to be expected in God's good time when Christians that are thus punished for their sins shall reform and amend their lives 10. And the Devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever Paraphrase 10. And the devil methought that wrought in them that stirred them up was remanded and returned again into his prison and this Empire of his was again destroyed as the idol-worship of the heathens and the Magicians Sorcerers Augurs and heathen Priests before had been 11. And I saw a great white throne and him that sate on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was found no place for them Paraphrase 11. And after this in another part of this vision I saw methought a throne set up in great splendor and glory and Christ in Majesty sitting thereon very terrible and a new condition of all things in the world was now to be expected And so that which was the design of all these visions sent in an Epistle to the seven Churches to teach them constancy in pressures is still here clearly made good that though Christianity be persecuted and for the sins of the vicious professors thereof permitted oft to be brought very low yet God will send relief to them that are faithful rescue the constant walker and destroy the destroyer and finally cast out Satan out of his possessions and then as here come to judge the world in that last eternal doom 12. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works Paraphrase 12. And all that ever died were called out of their graves before him as for the judging every one the rolls or records of all their actions were produced withall another book brought forth called the book of Life see note on Rev. 3. b. wherein every

confession of Christ nay secondly at this part of the Vision 't is clear that as the constant professors were not all slain but only some of them beheaded and others preserved and so beside the beheaded here are enumerated those that had not worshipp'd the beast nor his image nor received his mark upon their foreheads or hands so the Idolaters Apostates and Gnostick Christians c. had their universal slaughters ch 19. 2 3. 20. 21. and therefore these may well be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rest of the dead here it being punctually said of them ch 19. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rest were slain And then that they revived not till the thousand years finished must needs signifie that the Church was now for that space freed from such Heathen persecuters and purified from such a vow'd mixtures of those vile unchristian practices which is but the negative part annex'd to the positive preceding Ib. First resurrection What is meant by the first resurrection here may be discerned by comparing it with the second resurrection in the ordinary notion of it That signifies the resurrection to eternal life Proportionably this must signifie a reviving a restoring to life though not to that eternal Here it is figuratively used to expresse the flourishing condition of the Christian Church for that thousand years wherein the Christian professors in opposition to idolatrous Heathens and Gnostick Christians live safely and happily in the enjoying the assemblies which is saith he as if the primitive Martyrs were fetch'd out of their graves to live again here in tranquillity upon the earth Where only it is to be noted that the resurrection here is of the Church not of the particular persons the beheaded c. thus to be understood that the Church that was persecuted and suppress'd and slain as it were and again corrupted and vitiated in its members now rose from the dead revived again V. 6. The second death This phrase the second death is four times used in this book ch 2. 11. and here ch 20. 6. then v. 14. then c. 21. 8. It seems to be taken from the Jews who use it proverbially for final utter irreversible destruction So in the Jerusalem Targum Deut. 33. 6. Let Reuben live and let him not die the second death by which the wicked die in the world to come Where whatsoever be signified among them by the world to come the age of the Messias in whatsoever Jewish notion of it it seems to denote such a death from which there is no release And according to this notion of it as it reflects fitly on the first death which is a destruction but such as is reparable by a reviving or resurrection but this past hopes and exclusive of that so will all the several places wherein 't is used be clearly interpreted ch 2. 11. he that overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death that is if this Church shall hold out constant it shall not be cut off that is though it shall meet with great persecutions ver 10. and death it self yet that utter excision would no way better be prevented then by this of constancy and perseverance in suffering of all So here speaking of the flourishing condition of the Christian Church reviving after all its persecutions and corruptions to a state of tranquillity and purity On these saith he the second death hath no power that is they have not incurred that utter excision having their part in the first resurrection but they shall be Priests to Christ and God and reign c. that is have a flourishing time of Christian profession for that space of a thousand years So in the 14. ver where death and hades are cast into the lake of fire that is death and the state of mortality utterly destroyed O death I will be thy death it is added this is the second death that is mortality is utterly destroyed there shall now be no more death that life shall be eternal so c. 21. 8. the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone the utter irreversible destruction such as fell in Sodome called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eternal fire utterly consumptive is called the second death into which they are said to goe that are never to appear in the Church again And though in these different matters some difference there must needs be in the significations yet in all of them the notion of utter destruction final irreparable excision may very properly be retained and applied to each of them V. 7. Thousand years are expired When these thousand years of the peaceable Christian profession should begin and when determine is a thing of some doubt And the cause of the doubt is the several points of time wherein the destruction of Heathenisme in the Roman Empire may be placed For as in every so great a change there are several stages or degrees of motion so was it here Constantine's receiving the faith and concluding of the persecutions and by Decree proclaiming liberty of Christianity may most properly be styled the binding of Satan the dragon that sought to devour the child as soon as it was born and then the beginning of the thousand years will fall about An. Dom. 311. at which time the conversion of heathen Rome to Christianity is set down and celebrated by Prudentius l. 1. cont Symmachum beginning thus Cùm princeps gemini bis victor caede tyranni c. To the smae purpose see Eusebius Eccles Hist l. 19. c. 1. But then after that the Emperors were Christian Heathenisme still continued in Rome and in the Empire in some degree see Note on ch 17. f. till by the coming of the Goths and Vandals and Hunnes under Alaricus Gensericus and Attilas the city and Empire of Rome was all the heathen part of it destroyed and Christianity fully victorious over it And if this be the beginning of the binding of Satan and caststing him into the abysse then the thousand years must have another date about the year of Christ 450. or 455. the city having been taken by Alaricus and the Goths An. Ch. 410. and by Gensericus and the Vandals An. 455. but the warre between Theodosius and Gensericus beginning An. 441. and the great fight between the Romans under the Emperor Marcion and the Hunnes under Attilas in which 162000 were killed being An. Chr. 451. the greatest slaughter that hath ever been read of as it is described by Jornandes a little river being by the blood of the slain raised saith he into a torrent Agreeable to this double beginning may be assigned a double end of these thousand years For if the letting loose of Satan here were at the rising of the Ottoman family and bringing Asia and Greece to Mahomedisme that will be about the year 1310. and so about a thousand years from Constantine's Edict But if it were at the Turks taking of Constantinople mentioned here ver 9. and turning the Temple of Sophia to

passages of entrance thereinto that is universal admission afforded to all that would forsake idolatry and come in and the Bishops of the Church with power to admit and shut out and the names of the twelve tribes written on them noting them to be as the governours of the tribes Mat. 19. 28. that is rulers of his Church this new Jerusalem 13. On the east three gates on the north three gates on the south three gates and on the west three gates Paraphrase 13. And these entrances three toward every quarter noting the coming in of men from all quarters of the world now to the faith of Christ or doctrine of the Gospel and their baptisme the sacrament of admission of all performed by a three-fold immersion and profession of faith in the three persons Father Son and holy Ghost 14. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. Paraphrase 14. And the wall which encompass'd the city as that Ezec. 40. 5. round about the house that is the Christian faith or doctrine was built or founded upon the preachings of the twelve Apostles of Christ 15. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city and the gates thereof and the wall thereof Paraphrase 15. And that angel with me had a reed in his hand c. 11. 1. to measure all these and give the dimensions of each as things that were like to continue for long use whereas that which was likely to be soon taken away was not to be measured c. 11. 2. 16. And the city lieth four-square and the length is as large as the breadth and he measured the city with the reed twelve thousand furlongs the length and the breadth and the height of it are equal Paraphrase 16. And the city or church being in the figure of a cube an equable stable figure having every way the same dimensions was both in length and breadth twelve thousand furlongs by the length noting the duration of it by the breadth the extent of its circuit and the height was equal to the length and breadth of it noting the flourishing condition of it equal to the extent and duration 17. And he measured the wall thereof an hundred and fourty and four cubits according to the note f measure of a man that is of the Angel Paraphrase 17. And the wall that is the Christian faith or doctrin which surrounded and inclosed the city was an hundred fourty four cubits in compasse that is twelve times twelve cubits allowing an equal proportion to every of the twelve Apostles the foundations of this wall v. 14. in the planting that faith building that wall And the rod v. 14. by which he meted all this was a pole of six foot long equal to the stature of the Angel that appeared to me that is of a man Ezek. 40. 3. 18. And the building of the wall of it was of Jasper and the city was pure gold like unto clear glasse Paraphrase 18. And the matter of which this wall was made was Jasper a very precious and durable stone see c. 4. 3. noting the several ingredients in the Christian faith to be such precious precepts a gracious yoke promises of great fidelity sure to be performed and such as all eternity is concerned in and the Church it self a society of holy men observable for sincere conspicuous purity such as God who sees to the bottome of the heart acknowledges and approves and such as men may behold and glorifie God for them in both respects express'd here by gold and glasse gold in respect of the purity and value in the sight of God and glasse in respect of the transparency of it discernible both to God and man see Tobit 13. 16. 19. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones The first foundation was Jasper the second Sapphire the third a Chalcedonie the fourth an Emerald Paraphrase 19. And the Apostles which planted this faith were represented in a most glorious manner by all the most precious things imaginable see Tobit 13. 17. and Ezech. 28. 13. the several intimations of each of which might have somewhat of propriety to each of the Apostles but will hardly be appliable with any certainty but all together certainly note that which is most precious and signifie their memory as themselves in their life-time to be such in the Church of God and any thing was taught by them to be accepted with veneration 20. The fifth Sardonyx the sixth Sardius the seventh Chrysolite the either Beryl the ninth Topaz the tenth Chrysoprasus the eleventh a Jacinth the twelfth an Amethyst 21. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls every several gate was of one pearl and the street of the city was pure gold as it were transparent glasse Paraphrase 21. And the governours of the Church which had the power of admitting into the Church or casting out of it v. 12. were each of them represented as very estimable precious persons and the streets of the city that is the assemblies or congregations of Christians in the Church were like gold and glasse as before v. 18. for purity of life and conspicuousnesse of it and even to God that look'd through the bottome of it approvable 22. And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it Paraphrase 22. And there was liberty to serve God in every city and place and not as it was wont among the Jewes only at Jerusalem but wheresoever Christians met together or in every mans own recesse they offered up prayers to God and God in Christ was in the midst of them especially in the Christian Churches set apart for God's peculiar service in every city and town and not only in some one place for all to resort to 23. And the city had no need of the sun neither of the moon to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof Paraphrase 23. And there was no need of sun and moon new waies of revelations for the enlightning this Church for God by coming down and pitching his tent being in our humane nature present here upon the earth hath planted the faith entirely and so his doctrine is the full light of his Church the rule of all our faith and so there is no need of any additions or new revelations 24. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it and the kings of the earth doe bring their glory and honour into it Paraphrase 24. And all the people of the world that come to any sense of their Idolatries and sins by all God's judgments fallen upon them shall be content to live strictly according to this rule Isa 60. 3. and the Kings of the earth see Isa 49. 23. the highest in all sorts of power and learning c. will